


Guard My Body (Zarry H.S. AU-boyxboy)

by Prpflava



Category: Harry Styles - Fandom, High School - Fandom, One Direction (Band), Romance - Fandom, Zarry - Fandom, Zayn Malik (Musician), boyxboy - Fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-17
Updated: 2016-06-06
Packaged: 2018-05-21 04:17:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 35
Words: 131,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6037753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prpflava/pseuds/Prpflava
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry is a bubbly, charismatic sixteen year old who has accepted that he is gay.  He's had a crush on Zayn since he first saw him on his first day in middle school.  Niall is Harry's best friend, who will continue to stick by his side no matter what.<br/>When two bullies take it upon themselves to hurt Harry for his choice in sexuality, everyone who cares about Harry decides he needs protection.<br/>Louis, Harry's other best friend, approaches Zayn to ask him to be Harry's bodyguard.  Zayn is a loner and very introvert, but is known as the school's bad boy, so everyone is on board for him to be his protector.  Zayn is hesitant at first, but feels he should take the job once he meets Harry.<br/>Once Zayn begins protecting Harry, he begins to wonder who will protect Zayn's heart from falling for the green-eyed boy?<br/>A/N:  I absolutely love Zarry AU stories, especially high school ones, where they have to come to terms with discovering their sexuality, so I decided to take a crack at one myself.  I hope you enjoy it.  Also, I'm big on chapter dedications, so if you comment, I will make sure you will receive a chapter dedication.<br/>Thanks for reading... Mayra :)<br/>You can read more on Wattpad:  @prpflava</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Incident

**Author's Note:**

> You can always read more of my work on Wattpad: @prpflava. This story is ongoing & I'm even thinking of making it a series. Depends on how successful it is. Thanks for reading.

"Niall, go get help!" 

"Harry, I can't leave you like this!" Niall replied, with his voice thick from the tears steadily streaming down his face.

"Go!" Harry was curled up in a ball as the two bullies continued to kick him while he was own on the ground. 

Niall continued to run as fast as his legs would take him. Once he rounded a corner where he felt the two bullies could not find him, he pulled out his cell phone and dialed Anne, Harry's mother.

"Hello?" she answered on the second ring.

"Mrs. Styles," Niall breathed harshly through his cell phone. "Harry's... hurt...please help!"

Anne, who was still at work, dropped the paperwork she was holding. Documents flew everywhere, but she could care less at the thought of her son hurt. "Niall, tell me where you are. How's he hurt?"

"Two guys... they're hurting him." Niall swiped at his tears with the back of his shirt sleeve.

"I'm coming now! Where are you?" Anne clutched the phone tighter as she grabbed her purse and pulled out her car keys from inside the bag.

"Close to the school. A block away..." Niall gave her the information of their current location as she made her way towards her boss to notify him that she had an emergency that required her to leave early from work.

Anne hugged the phone to her shirt and spoke frantically. "Mr. Cox, I have an emergency with my son! I'm sorry sir, but I have to leave."

Her boss stood up from his chair quickly, where he had been reviewing some emails at his computer. "Of course, Anne. I hope everything will be all right. Keep me updated." A worried look crossed his face as he watched Anne run out of his office.

Anne made it to her car, speeding immediately as she raced to reach her son. Her worry instantly flooded her thoughts with negative scenarios of her son's predicament, each one worse than the previous.

Anne drove frantically, with one hand on the wheel and one hand clutching the phone to her ear, trying to reach the point where Niall was indicating where her son would be. She also tried to deal with a very frantic Niall. 

"I'm sorry I left him. There were two big guys. They would've hurt me too." Niall cried into the phone.

Anne replied the necessary, "It's ok. Thanks for calling me." However, Niall's guilt was the least of her concerns since her son needed her.

Meanwhile, Harry was down on the ground, screaming and in tears as the two boys continued to deliver kicks to his abdomen and sides. He could already feel his left eye swelling from the first punch delivered to his face, but his ribs were screaming with the pain coursing through his body. Just when he thought he would not be able to take any more pain and was close to the point of losing consciousness, he heard a male voice screaming at the guys. "Wankers, leave him alone! Damn arseholes... why not pick on someone your own size! Yeah... that's what I thought. Keep running!"

Harry smiled once the attack ceased and a male's gentle, yet rough touch stroked his cheek. He opened the one eye that he could see out of and looked through his blurred tears. His heart skipped a beat when he realized he must be dreaming because before him stood the boy of his dreams. The bane of existence since he could remember; the reason why Harry even identified himself as gay. "Zayn?"

The dark-haired boy didn't reply. He only asked, "You ok? You look hurt really bad."

Harry tried to answer, but found it difficult to speak through the knot in his throat, that had formed from the numerous tears and the fact that his crush knelt beside, holding Harry's cheek in his hand. Harry inhaled a deep breath, which was painful to do, and tried to speak, but felt too nauseous from the metallic taste of blood in his mouth. 

"It's ok," the boy replied, continuing to stroke his cheek. "Don't try to talk. I need to go now to try to get you some help."

Harry shook his head, frantically, wincing at the pain that seared through his brain. "Stay, please." Harry wanted him to stay mostly because those bullies could come back at any moment and also, he didn't want Zayn to leave. His heart was pounding so loudly in his ears - he wasn't sure if that was from the beating he'd just endured or the fact that his crush was touching him so gently.

"Listen, tell me your name."

"H-h," he struggled past the feeling of him wanting to throw up and finally breathed out, "Harry."

"Ok, Harry," his rescuer smiled down at him. "I have my phone right here. I can either call an ambulance or your family or a friend. What would you like me to do?"

Harry thought it over, struggling against the fog in his brain, which didn't seem to want to function properly at that moment. "Niall." Harry finally remembered that Niall had been with him and hoped he hadn't gotten hurt also.

"Ok, I can call Niall. Do you know his number or do you have your phone, so I can look him up in your contacts?" His rescuer was struggling to find any way to help this poor beaten up boy.

Harry reached for his cell phone, that was resting securely in his jean's pocket, but winced at the sudden movement which caused pain to course through his arm and upper chest area. He was finally able to reach it and dug it out of his pocket, then handed it over to his rescuer.

The lad looked down at Harry's phone and asked, "What's your passcode? I need to unlock it."

Harry released his breath slowly, before inhaling another breath again. "0201."

The dark haired lad punched in the code and unlocked Harry's phone, immediately scrolling through his phone searching for Niall's contact number. Once he found it, he dialed it, but continued to speak to Harry as he waited for the call to connect. He didn't know much about head injuries, but he knew that people in movies always kept a person from losing consciousness, so he figured he should do the same.

"So is Niall your brother?" 

"No... best friend."

"Cool. Um, how old are you Harry?"

"Sixteen."

"Yeah? I'm seventeen."

Harry gave his rescuer a lop-sided smile since he knew all there was to know about Zayn. His name, his age, the scent of his favorite cologne... oh, that cologne how it made him sigh in content whenever Zayn walked by. He closed his eyes, catching the scent in the air.

The older lad panicked at seeing Harry close his eyes and worried he was slipping into unconsciousness. "Harry! Open your eyes, buddy. Come on, stay with me."

Harry again gave him a lop-sided smile. How he had dreamt that Zayn would say those words to him. Of course, he had imagined him saying it under more romantic circumstances, but he would take what he could get.

Luckily, Niall answered before the call could be forwarded to voicemail. "Hello...Harry... oh thank god you're ok..." Niall immediately rambled.

"Hello, is this Niall?"

"Oh god no," Niall gasped before firing off questions repeatedly. "Where is Harry? What have you done to him? Why do you have his phone?"

"Listen, Harry is ok... well, sort of," Zayn replied.

"What do you mean?" Niall cried out. 'What did you do to him?"

"Whoa whoa! I didn't hurt him. I'm here with him now. He needs your help."

"Ok, I'm coming back now." Niall had no idea what could be awaiting him when he returned. He pushed aside his worry that it could be a trap and he would be the next in line to get hurt, but he knew Harry's mother would get here soon.

The dark haired lad turned to Harry and said, "Your friend sounds funny on the phone."

Harry replied with a half smile, only one lip lifted, and breathed out, "He's Irish."

"Irish? No way." The older lad chuckled at that.

Harry tried to return the chuckle, but groaned when the pain reminded him of his current situation. His rescuer reached and cupped his cheek, stroking it soothingly with his thumb.

"Umm, Harry. Is your friend blond?"

Harry nodded slowly. "Yeah."

Niall was already running towards them, when his rescuer turned to Harry and was on his feet instantly. "Get better soon."

Before Harry could respond, the dark haired lad disappeared and he felt Niall's arms around him, enveloping him in a hug.

Harry winced at Niall's tight hug and asked, "Where's Zayn?"

"What? I don't know."

"Where is he?"

"Who Harry?" 

"Zayn! He was here."

Niall looked around to make sure, he wasn't mistaken and that maybe Zayn was there. "Harry, he's not here."

"Where did he go?" Harry felt his tears start up again.

"Niall! Harry!" A female's frantic voice rushed towards them.

"Over here, Mrs. Styles!" Niall replied back.

Shortly after, the events following seemed a blur to Harry. His mother was by his side, crying and hugging him frantically. The ambulance crew pulled him up onto a stretcher after assessing his injuries. Then he was driven to the closest hospital, the London Bridge Hospital, with his mother and Niall riding with them.

His mother, Anne, didn't leave his side as he was placed in a hospital room and doctors and nurses performed their exam on him. 

After the extensive exam and necessary xrays, his attending physician turned to Anne and began explaining the extent of Harry's injuries. "Mrs. Styles, Harry has extensive bruising to his abdomen and upper torso. The worst of his injuries are from the injuries to his ribs. Luckily, he has not sustained any broken bones, but we will keep him overnight and tomorrow night for observation and to make sure there is no internal bleeding..." Anne nodded along to the doctor's diagnosis of her son.

However, Niall had no clue what the doctor was saying and Harry was under such heavy pain killers, that he was giggling at some hallucinated fuzzy creature in front of him that only he saw.

"Niall, it's so cute and fuzzy..." Harry giggled, trying to catch the creature.

"Harry, there's nothing there," Niall giggled in return at the sight of a high-on-pain-killers Harry. "But you're lucky that you get to miss school tomorrow."

"Really?" Harry asked, his eyes wide in shock and the effects of the drug being pumped into the IV in his arm. "Yay! We should totally have a party."

"That would be fun, but I don't think me mam will let me skip school since the year just started."

"I'll convince her," Harry replied, cheerily, as he grasped at thin air trying to catch whatever creature he was seeing in his current state. Suddenly, Harry got a serious look on his face and asked, "Where's Zayn?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Zayn... he saved my life. I want to..." Harry gulped to prevent himself from saying that he wanted to kiss him, and instead added, "...to thank him."

"Harry, I didn't see Zayn there."

"He was there, Niall!"

A nurse entered his room, injecting a sedative into Harry's IV. "This will help you sleep tonight." She smiled at him, before leaving the room.

"Niall, I know what I saw. It was Zayn. He called you."

"Yeah, from your phone."

"Didn't you see him?" Harry yawned into his hand.

"No, I didn't see anyone else around you."

"Fine, if it wasn't him, then who was it?" Harry's eyes began drooping as the sedative kicked in.

"That's the mystery we need to solve." Harry's eyes finally closed and Niall whispered, "See you in the morning."

Once Harry fell into his REM sleep, he murmured, "Zayn."


	2. Louis' Decision

Louis ran straight to the hospital, or more like took a cab, once he found out about Harry's attack. Harry, his childhood friend, who he had come to love as his own brother. Louis only had two other sisters, so Harry had been the one who had become his brother. 

As the cab drove towards their destination, he reminisced over how he had met the green eyed lad. It was during the time Harry had started kindergarten and Louis was in first grade. He crossed paths with the teary 5-year old, who was sitting on a loo, with the lid down. Louis had walked in to the bathroom to wash paint off his hands, since he had spilled it all over his hands and shirt, when he heard the younger boy crying. The force of his tears echoing through the walls, breaking Louis' heart.

Louis wanted to walk away and leave the boy to his misery, but his caring heart had made him approach the crying lad and knock on his stall door. "Oi, mate. You ok in there?" he had asked, worried that the tearful boy was hurt.

"No," a shy voice responded.

"Do you need help or something?"

"I dunno."

"Well, open the door and I can see if you're ok."

"Umm... ok." The lad had unlocked the latch and opened the door. When Louis walked in, the boy looked up and Louis' blue eyes met Harry's green ones. 

Once Louis gave him a once over and made sure that there were no cuts or bruises on his body, he asked, "So, what's your name?"

"H-Harry."

"Well, nice to meet you, Harry. I'm Louis."

"Hi." Harry gave him a slight wave in response.

"So, why are you crying?"

Harry had wiped away some tears as he replied, "I don't like it here. I wanna go home."

"Oh, is that all? No one likes school, but we have to come here to learn."

"I hate it. Why do we have to come?"

The blue eyed boy shrugged his shoulders. "Dunno. Guess so we can learn stuff and get jobs or something."

"I miss my mom and my sissy."

"I know you do, but it's not so bad here. We learn stuffs, but then we get recess and we get to go outside and play. It's fun too."

"Really?" Harry had opened his eyes widely.

"Yeah, we have slides and swings and we can play games outside. It's really fun."

"Well, that's not too bad. I think I like recess."

"Well, that's great. You can come play with me and my friends when recess comes."

"Yay!" Harry stood up from the toilet and cheered, but then pouted in sadness. "But I still wanna go home."

Louis wrapped his arm around Harry's shoulders and asked, "But who's gonna play games with me then if you go home?"

"Ok, I won't go home, so you won't be lonely."

"Yay!" Louis had responded, smiling widely, causing Harry to return the smile as well. "Ok, so when you go outside, I'll be by the swings ok and then you can meet my friends ok."

"Ok." Harry was grinning widely now.

"So, no more crying Harry. You're a big kid now and big kids don't cry ok."

"Ok, Louis."

With that, Louis had walked Harry back to his classroom with the promise of seeing him again during recess. When the time had finally rolled around, Harry had run straight to the swings, calling out for Louis. The older lad had waved when he saw the energetic curly haired lad running towards him. Even though, Louis' friend Liam had teased him about the younger lad, Harry and Louis had become close friends since that day. Harry had lived on his block too, just a few houses down, so they ended up spending a lot of time outside of school as well. Their mothers had even become close friends and Louis always made sure to watch over him as much as possible.

But then Louis recalled why they hadn't spent so much time together anymore. He and Liam were now on the football team (A/N: In the US, it's known as soccer) and they were considered somewhat popular, whereas Harry had befriended Niall a few years later and they were part of the not-so-popular crowd. Louis never turned his back on his friend, but he knew he wasn't there for him as much anymore either and now Harry was hurt. He felt his eyes tear up as he wondered what condition he would see his friend in.

Once Louis arrived at the hospital, he paid his cab fare, and raced to the nurses station to locate Harry's room. After a lengthy process, he finally reached his room and gasped at the sight of his friend, laying in bed, beaten and bruised. His eye was swollen and he had cuts on his lip and other dark bruises on his arms. He was horrified to see what lay under the bed sheet that covered his lower body.

"Mrs. Styles?" Louis spoke as he entered the room and his eyes found Harry's mother sitting in a chair beside Harry's bed, with a tear-stained face and mournful expression.

"Oh, Louis, I'm glad you're here." Anne Styles stood up and Louis ran up to her and embraced her in a hug.

"Of course. Harry is my best friend. I came as soon as I got the message from my mum. I'm sorry I didn't come sooner. I was at practice..."

Anne cut him off, "It's ok, Louis. It's just good that you're here. Harry will be happy to know that you came to see him. He's asleep now because of the sedative they gave him and all the pain killers..." Anne released a sigh as she realized that Harry was indeed hurt so bad that he was given so much medication.

"It's ok. I'm sorry this happened." Louis was now frantically wiping the tears that were streaming down his face. "Do you know what happened? Who did this?"

"Well, what we got from Niall is that they are some guys who heard about Harry being gay and they attacked him. He didn't recognize the boys. At first, we thought it was some guy named Zayn because Harry kept repeating his name."

"Zayn? As in Zayn Malik?" Louis asked, astonished that Harry would have even crossed paths with Zayn.

"Yes, that's the name Niall said, but he said Zayn didn't hurt him."

"Good to know. Did he happen to say why Harry would be saying his name?"

Niall had admitted to Anne that Harry had been crushing on Zayn for years now, but Zayn didn't know he existed, so he was embarrassed to tell anyone other than his best friend, Niall. Anne agreed with Niall that Harry had probably imagined Zayn during his attack, so she really gave it no further thought. She had also promised Niall that she would not reveal to anyone about Harry's crush on Zayn and that included Louis, so she simply replied, "No clue. Maybe he just imagined him since he's under heavy sedation."

Louis seemed satisfied with her response, but then he frowned and said, "This is all my fault."

"What? What do you mean?"

"If I wasn't at football practice, I could've walked home with Harry. I should've protected him. I'm such a bad friend."

"Don't say that Louis." Anne pulled him in for a hug. "You're a good friend, Louis."

"I wasn't there for him."

"You couldn't have known this would happen. I'm his mother and I didn't know this would happen, so don't blame yourself."

Louis realized that he had to prevent this from ever happening again. "I'm quitting the football team."

"Louis you don't have to do that. You love football. Don't quit something you love and you're so good at it. Your mum tells me all about how the coach says you're his best player."

"Well, thanks." Louis smiled up at Anne, but he already knew what he had to do.

Louis only spent about an hour in Harry's room after Anne urged him to go home and get rest, notifying him that Harry would mos likely sleep through the night since he was under such heavy medication.

He woke up the following morning earlier than usual to get to school sooner than his usual time. He went to speak to their principal, Mr. Reynolds, to notify him about quitting the football team. Louis entered his office and was asked immediately, "Now what is this I'm hearing about you quitting the team?"

Louis fought back tears, hating that he would have to give up something he was so passionate about, but promising himself that he would always put Harry first from now on.

"Well sir, I have to quit the football team..."

Mr. Reynolds asked in his most sincerest tone, "Ok, I know how much you love playing football, Louis. I know you're on your way to even getting an athletic scholarship offered to you. Let's talk this over before you make this drastic decision."

Louis nodded and explained what occurred to Harry the day before.


	3. The Offer

"Zayn, I need to talk to you please."

Zayn nodded for Louis to go ahead.

"Well Zayn, I need to ask you a favor. I hope you're up to it." Louis rubbed the back of his neck nervously, not really sure how to even begin to ask the question.

"What is it mate?" Zayn replied a tad rudely. He was not in the mood to beat around the bush today. He had a rough night and lost a ton of sleep and was definitely not in an all too friendly mood at all.

"Well, can I ask you in private? It's not really something I can ask you here." Louis took a look at the lunch area they were sitting in. Even though Zayn was at a table outside of the lunchroom alone, there were still a couple of students within earshot.

"Fine, I'm about to go by the dumpsters in a bit to have a smoke. Hold on." Zayn grabbed his bag of crisps, chicken sandwich and drink in hand and led Louis to his secret smoking spot.

Zayn began eating his sandwich as Louis began. "Well, I have a friend who was hurt yesterday..."

Zayn was listening now. Another person hurt again? He had spent all night thinking about the green-eyed bloke he helped yesterday shortly after school had ended. He wondered if he was ok since it had been a while since he'd seen anyone that hurt.

"He's in the hospital now and he's gonna need someone to watch over him when he's released. I would have to quit football practice if I were to be with him..."

"Well, you can't quit football. Liam tells me you're the best player and the only chance the team has to win." Zayn didn't have many friends. Liam was the only person he really trusted in the entire school. Liam was someone who never seem terrified of him when Zayn had transferred during his middle school year. They were the same age and in the same grade and the only one who spoke to him on his first day. Liam was definitely someone he considered his best friend.

"Well, thanks." Louis grinned up at him.

"So, Harry will need someone to kinda watch over him... to like walk him home and maybe to a few of his classes, just until we can make sure he's gonna be ok."

Harry...Harry...why did that name sound so familiar. Just then, it hit Zayn. That was the name of the lad who had gotten hurt yesterday. Well damn, he thought. Yesterday must have been Harry bashing day. "So does this Harry friend of yours not have any friends who can do that for him?"

"No, not really." Louis looked downtrodden as he began explaining the truth he tried to deny for so long. "Harry doesn't have many friends. To be honest I think he only has me and Niall..."

"Wait! Niall?"

"Yeah, his other friend. Do you know him?"

"I don't think so, but do you have pictures of them?" Zayn thought there was no way it could be the same lads from yesterday. That was way too much of a coincidence, but as Louis handed over his cell phone to display their pictures, Zayn was faced with the truth.

"That one there is Harry. It's a little outdated, but I don't have any other pictures of him." Louis admitted, feeling guilt-ridden over the fact.

Zayn gazed at the image. Sure Harry seemed to look really young there, but there was no mistaking the curly hair and the green eyes... oh and those dimples. Zayn hadn't really noticed those dimples before since the lad hadn't smiled much. His thumb brushed down his cheek in the same manner he had touched his face yesterday.

Zayn couldn't resist asking, "Is he ok?" He was really anxious to know since the bloke had kept him awake most of the night. Zayn had spent most of the night running after his two attackers in his dream last night. When he would finally catch up to one, the other would continue to hurt Harry, the images of his bloody and beaten face scaring him awake. Zayn was extremely tired from his struggle of his nightmares last night, so he figured maybe learning about his condition could set his mind at ease.

"I guess he should be ok, but he looks terrible. I'm not gonna lie there." Louis scrolled through his pictures some and found a pic of Niall standing next to Harry. "The blond one there is Niall."

Zayn took a look at the picture and sure enough, were the same two boys he encountered yesterday.

"Do you recognize them?" Louis asked.

Zayn didn't know them, but he did sort of met them yesterday. "Nope." He hated lying, but he had made a promise to himself long ago, not to get involved. He didn't have time for other people's problems. He knew he sounded selfish, but it was more of a self-preservation type of attitude he held. It was because no one ever came to offer him help when he went through his dilemma... he shook his head, trying to clear away those depressing thoughts.

"So, can you do it?"

"Do what exactly?" 

Louis sighed. "You know walk with him, watch over him..."

Zayn shook his head. "Nah mate. I don't have time to babysit."

"Zayn, it's not babysitting. Just kinda be like his bodyguard."

Zayn chuckled at the thought of the Kevin Costner movie "The BodyGuard" ran through his mind. "His bodyguard? Nah Lou. I don't think so."

"Come on, Zayn. Remember when you first got here and I saved you from getting busted for smoking in the loo? You owe me, mate."

Zayn groaned. "Yeah...yeah. Guess I do owe you for that."

"Yeah, I told the principal it wasn't you. That it had to be someone else who was in there before us."

"Yeah, you don't have to remind me. I remember."

"Come on then. Before you say no again... just come with me after school and you can meet him. If you don't like him, then I'll try to find someone else or I'll just quit the football team."

"Fine, Louis. I'll go with you to meet him, but I'm not promising anything."

"Of course. Thanks for doing this mate. I'll meet you by the main entrance after school and we'll go, ok."

Zayn nodded as Louis turned to walk away back to the lunch crowd. Zayn placed his cigarette between his lips, lighting it up, and taking a long drag. As he exhaled, he scratched a spot just above his eyebrow with his thumb as he pondered if he would really do this? He wasn't sure if he was crazy for considering it or if Louis was crazier suggesting it. One thing was certain though, he was actually curious to meet Harry. Harry obviously knew who he was since he had said his name after his attack.

After school, they met up at the school's main entrance while waiting for the cab, that Louis had called for, to arrive. "London Bridge Hospital," Louis told the cab driver as they entered the vehicle.

Zayn stared at Louis nervously. "You didn't tell me we were going to the hospital."

"Well, he hasn't been released yet." Louis eyed him curiously. "You're not scared are ya?"

Zayn smirked. "Of course not. I just don't like them." Zayn had lied again. He was absolutely terrified of hospitals, but he wouldn't let him know that. He wasn't sure what terrified him the most, but sickness and possible death was not something he was happy to be around.

Once Zayn gulped back his nervousness, and they entered an elevator that took them up to Harry's floor, they made their way into his room. Zayn's eyes landed on Harry immediately. The boy was sitting up in bed with a tray on his lap and he was currently munching on a banana. He was grinning at his friend, Niall, and his dimples were now visible to Zayn. Hopefully, his mind could be assured now that the boy had survived the attack.

Louis was the first to speak up. "Hey, Haz. How ya feeling?"

Both Harry and Niall turned to look at his direction. They both sported the same shocked expression at seeing Zayn by Louis' side.

"Zayn?" Harry squeaked out.

"Hey," Zayn replied back, giving a slight wave. 

Once Harry snapped out of his initial shock, he straightened out his hospital gown and combed his fingers through his curls, hoping he looked somewhat presentable.

Introductions were made and greetings exchanged, when Louis decided that Zayn could use some time alone with Harry to get to know him. He had faith that Harry's bubbly personality would help sway Zayn's decicion on agreeing to protect him.

"So, Mrs. Styles and Niall, have you all had anything to eat yet?" 

Anne replied, "Well, I could use another cup of coffee."

Niall replied, "I could use some food before I go home."

"Ok, how about we go down to the cafeteria and we discuss something."

Anne looked at Zayn and asked, "Louis, is he ok?"

"Of course." Louis assured Anne, grabbing onto her hand. "I trust him." Louis turned to Zayn and added, "You two talk. Get to know each other."

Zayn took the seat that Niall had occupied earlier beside the bed and faced Harry. "So, Harry. How are you feeling?"

"Better than yesterday, I guess." Harry began nervously wringing his hands , realizing he was now having a conversation with his crush. "I definitely feel better than I look." He smiled at the dark-haired boy, flashing his dimply smile.

"Well, that's not saying much Harry." Harry's heart fluttered at hearing the older lad speak his name. "So why were you attacked?" Zayn's golden brown eyes stared into his green ones, and Harry bit his bottom lip, taking a deep breath, as he wondered how to respond to his question.


	4. The Agreement

"So why were you attacked?" 

Harry stared at Zayn a moment before looking down at his lap and replying, "Don't know."

"Well, did you know those guys?"

"What?" Harry felt hurt by Zayn's accusation. "Of course not. I don't associate with jerks who hurt me like they did."

"Well, what I meant is if there was a reason why they were hurting you? Like do you owe them money or something?"

"Really Zayn? Do I look like the type to be involved in shady stuff?"

Zayn chuckled at his response. "Of course not, but you never know. I mean sometimes people aren't always what they seem."

Harry nodded thinking Zayn was referring to someone he knew, not really understanding that the older lad was referring to himself and his past.

"So, you really have no clue why they did this?"

Harry gazed at Zayn, huffing in frustration. "No! Do bullies really need a reason to hurt someone?"

"Well, I just wanted to make sure..." Zayn was curious to know because he didn't want any surprises if he agreed to watch over Harry.

"Listen, Zayn, I don't know the guys, I don't know why they hurt me, and I don't appreciate having to repeat what I already told the cops this morning." Harry layed against his pillows and turned his body to face away from Zayn.

Zayn stood up from his chair instantly. He rested his hand on Harry's forearm and said, "I'm sorry, Harry. I didn't mean to make you feel worse about it."

Harry felt an electrical shock from the spot where his crush was touching him. He chewed on his bottom lip, hoping Zayn wouldn't realize that a blush was tainting the younger lad's cheeks and his heart was racing from the warmth of his touch. "OK," he muttered. He turned to face Zayn again, unable to resist the chance to stare at his crush.

Zayn grasped his right hand into his, careful to not touch the bruises there. "What happened to your hand? Did you get some hits in?"

Harry chuckled a little there. "I wish." He turned his head to look at the bruises. "Guess I must have hurt it along the way, on the concrete or something."

"Well, the way I see it, you got a couple of hits in." Zayn smirked at Harry, trying to boost his confidence a little.

"That's a joke. Anyone who knows me, knows that's not true."

"Nonsense. When someone is getting attacked, you never know what they're capable of during an adrenaline rush."

"That's rich, Zayn. No one would buy that." Harry was now laughing, and Zayn felt better that the lad wasn't so upset anymore.

"You're just a regular Cassius Clay aren't ya?" Harry raised one eyebrown in confusion. "You know, Muhammad Ali."

"Who are they?" 

Zayn clutched the middle of his stomach as he doubled over in laughter. When he finally composed himself, he asked, "He's one guy, Harry."

"Oh."

"You seriously don't know who he is?" Harry shook his head no in response. 

"Oh Harry. I've got so much to school you on." Zayn started play punching in Harry's direction, lightly raising his fists to mock punch near Harry then positioning his fists in a blocking move. "He's the greatest boxer ever."

Harry raised his hands in defense as he chuckled at Zayn's antics. "You're so silly, Zayn."

"Hey now." Zayn dropped his hands. "Don't be starting that rumor. You'll ruin my reputation. Badass, remember," he teased, pointing to himself.

"Oh right. Your secret's safe with me, Malik."

"Thanks, Curly." Zayn lightly tugged one of Harry's curls, indicating where his nickname came from. Harry blushed and smiled widely in response. Zayn continued, "So, tell me about yourself."

"Ok," Harry replied shyly. "What would you like to know?"

"Well, let's start with what grade you're in."

"Year 10." Harry was fighting so hard through his nerves that he almost choked on his reply. He brushed some of his stray curls behind his ear.

"Cool, I'm in 11th. Ok, do you play any sports or things like that?"

"No, don't really like sports."

"Ok, how about video games?"

"Yeah, I play them. Niall usually makes me play FIFA with him. Does that count as sports?"

"Sure," Zayn chuckled. "That's a start. Maybe you're not entirely hopeless."

"Hey now." Harry pouted his lip in mock sadness.

"Sorry, mate, but I have two younger sisters. That fake pout doesn't work on me."

"Darn, that usually works on everyone else."

Zayn chuckled in response, causing Harry to laugh in return. "See, I saw right through you." Zayn poked him in the ribs, causing Harry to giggle at the tickle that coursed through him. Zayn realized that he had just discovered one of Harry's weaknesses, but decided to store that knowledge away for later.

They slipped into an easy conversation after that and they discovered different things about each other. Zayn learned that Harry had an older sister, Gemma, and even that his favorite color was orange. Harry acted like most of the information that Zayn revealed to him was new, but Harry had been obsessed with his crush for so long, that he knew almost everything about him. He knew about his younger sisters and older sister, but now he had learned their names: Doniya, Whaliya and Safaa. He knew that Zayn liked his art class the most, from the amount of passion he'd put into his work. Harry himself had fallen in love with a piece that was on display in school last year, and now he learned his favorite color was blue. He could imagine how gorgeous he would look concentrating on a project, covered in blue paint.

Harry was the one who brought up the question about what his favorite color was since he had a slew of questions he had always wanted to know about Zayn. He had a list of them in the back of his mind, but somehow being so close to the one person who makes your heart thump wildly in your chest and your palms sweat, is very distracting and he couldn't think of what he had always wanted to ask him.

When Louis, Niall and his mum returned to his room, they found Zayn and Harry laughing with each other in their conversation and Anne smiled at the pair. Anne, Harry's mum, carried back two smoothies in her hand along with a coffee for herself. She immediately brought over the drink to her happy son. 

"Baby, I brought you your favorite. Strawberry banana smoothie, extra banana." Then she turned to Zayn, handing him the other beverage. "I hope you like smoothies... it's strawberry banana as well."

"Thanks," Harry replied as he took a healthy sip through his straw.

"Thank you," Zayn replied, grinning brightly. He felt so touched that Harry's mum had thought of him and brought him the drink.

"No, sweet heart, thank you." Louis had told Anne about his plan for Zayn to protect Harry until the police could find his attackers. She was hesitant at first, not knowing much about Zayn, but trusted Louis enough in his decision for choosing him to be Harry's protector.

"Well, I'm gonna have to take this to go. It's getting late. Thank you again for the smoothie, Mrs. Styles."

"It's no problem. Nice meeting you, Zayn."

"NIce meeting you, too," Zayn replied, waving a goodbye to everyone in the room. His gaze rested a little longer on Harry. "Get better, Curly."

"Thanks." Harry replied, blushing at the fact that his mum and friends heard his nickname.

"Curly?" Niall turned to Harry. "You have so much to tell me."

"Shh Niall! I'll tell you when everyone's not around ok." Harry looked at the others, hoping they hadn't heard Niall's outburst. Fortunately, no one knew about Harry's crush on Zayn and he wanted to keep it that way.

Louis walked out of the room with Zayn and they stood in the hallway. Louis began, "So what do you think?"

"He's a great kid. He knows shit about sports though. I'm surprised he's your friend and has no clue." Zayn teased, causing Louis to laugh.

"Yeah, guess I've slacked there. So, will you agree to do it?"

"Yeah, but I have one condition. I want a date with your sister, Lottie."

"What?" Louis was obviously shocked at the request. "No way, man. She's a whole year younger than you. Is there anything else you'd rather have?"

"Nope, just one date with her." Zayn had asked her out before, but she had turned him down and he knew if he could just have one night with her, he could convince her to be his.

"I didn't even know you liked her. Are you sure there's nothing else?"

"Nope, that's my condition."

Louis sighed in defeat, feeling swayed by assuring Harry's safety. "Fine, just let me talk to her. It's not going to be right away. Give me some time."

"That's fine. I can be patient."

And with that, Zayn was gone, making his way out of the hospital.

Louis returned to the room and stood beside Anne. Now it was time to tell Harry the huge change that was going to occur in his life. Anne began. "Honey, we have to tell you something."

"Ok." Harry tried to sit up straighter in his bed, wincing at the pain in his ribs.

"Do you like Zayn? He's going to be around a lot more."

Harry couldn't believe his ears. Zayn would be around more? And why did his mum ask if he liked Zayn? Did she know about his crush? "He's a nice guy."

"That's good, baby. I want to make sure you're going to be comfortable with this."

Louis was feeling frustrated over Zayn's request, so he decided to just tell Harry bluntly so he could go home and punch a wall or something, realizing what he had just agreed to. "He's going to be your bodyguard. To watch over you and stuff to make sure this doesn't happen again."

Harry laughed after hearing this. "Are you serious?" He clutched his middle when he saw his mum, Louis and Niall nod in response. "Like I'm Whitney Houston and he's Kevin Costner?" Harry referenced the movie "Bodyguard" and continued to laugh. "That's hilarious!"

"We're being serious, honey." His mum reached out to stroke his cheek with the palm of her hand. "I want to make sure my baby is safe."

"You're not joking?" Harry felt saddened now. "No way, that's embarrassing. I don't need a babysitter!"

"Honey, please understand. It's for your safety."

"No, mum!" Harry was angry now. "It's not fair. I didn't ask to be attacked. Why am I being punished?" Harry threw himself back against the pillows and faced away from everyone.

Anne turned to Louis. "Can you make sure Niall gets home safely? I'll talk to him." She indicated Harry with a nod of her head.

"Yeah, come on Niall."

Niall called out to Harry. "I'll text you when I get home ok."

"OK." Harry mumbled out, still upset over the news.

Anne returned to her son. "Baby, if you really don't want this, then we can find another way, but please just give it a try for a little while. I don't like seeing you like this. I already want to find those arseholes and tear them apart limb by limb for what they've done to you."

Harry chuckled at hearing his mother cuss. She always seemed so composed and he rarely heard her use any bad language. The last time he could actually remember her cuss, was when she had spoken to her sister about Harry's father. His dad had left her a single mum with barely any money. He loved his mother for being such a strong woman and being all that he really ever needed.

"I love you baby. Please try this for me."

Harry turned to face his mum. "Ok, for you, but I'm not happy."

His mother beamed with happiness as she wrapped him up in a hug and Harry snuggled into her embrace. "Thank you, baby boy."

"I love you too, mum." Harry tried to stay upset over what this meant, but he realized he would now be able to spend time with his crush. He wasn't sure if this was good news or bad.


	5. Getting to know Hazza

"Zayn, can I sit with you?" Niall asked, approaching Zayn's table where he sat outside of the cafeteria, picking at his sandwich.

"Hey, yeah, go ahead." Zayn replied.

"So, how're ya doin'?" Niall asked as he set down his lunch tray and pulled out extra contents from a brown paper lunch bag.

"Actually, I'm really happy."

"Why's that?"

"Well, it started off this morning." Zayn unwrapped his sandwich and popped open his bag of crisps. "I was in my second class and I get called into the principal's office and I'm like 'great, what the hell did I do now?' So, I go and Mr. Reynolds hands me a new schedule. He was all like 'thank you for helping Mr. Styles' and 'I hope you don't mind that we had to take you out of phys ed.' I was like hell no I don't mind, I hate that class. So yeah, I could hug Harry right now for getting me outta there."

"Well, that's great. I'm glad for ya."

"Yeah, my classes are closer to Harry's now and we even share the same math class. I'm behind in math. F.uck I hate numbers!"

"No way!" Niall spoke through a mouthful of his sandwich. "I'm in the same math class too. We could totally do a study group if ya want."

"Hmm, maybe," Zayn shrugged, taking a bite of his sandwich. "So, guess we'll all have the same class after lunch."

"Yeah. Umm, Zayn. I needed to ask ya something too."

Zayn replied, "OK," motioning him to go ahead.

"Well ya see, me mam doesn't want me walking home alone anymore. She's really freaked out after what happened with Harry. Louis said he could walk with me, but then I would have to wait until he's done with practice... and that's boring ya know...So I know the agreement was for ya to guard Harry, but I was wondering if maybe I could walk with ya after school or something?"

"Like me walk you home?" Zayn asked, trying to make sure he understood the conversation.

"Yeah, but you dont have to like talk to me or be my friend or anything... I totally understand if ya don't want to..."

"It's ok, Niall. I'll walk with ya. After what happened to Harry, I wouldn't want the same thing to happen to you."

"Really?" Niall's eyes lit up. "Thank you! Thank you!"

"Relax, mate." Zayn tried to get him to calm down, not wanting to attract attention. Zayn hated when attention was drawn to him, that's why he preferred to be a loner.

Zayn thought that once he agreed to walk with Niall after school that Niall would have gone, but he remained at the table. "Well Harry's lucky he gets to be out the rest of this week, yeah."

Zayn eyed him curiously, realizing Niall wanted conversation, so he figured he would play along. "Yeah. Are you going to see him after school? I'm supposed to pick up his assignments to take to him."

Niall nodded. "Yeah, I was going to stop by and stay until me mam comes to pick me up. I really don't want to leave him alone since his mam is going to be working late to make up the time she missed from work."

"All right. We can walk there together then so I can take him his books and stuff."

"Ok." 

Zayn and Niall continued to have a conversation throughout their lunch time. Zayn hated to admit it, but he actually liked Niall since he was such a friendly fellow and at least he knew something about sports, unlike Harry. Zayn didn't realize it yet, but his thoughts seemed to always stray towards Harry now.

After classes were over, Zayn found Niall waiting for him in the front entrance of the school just as they had agreed on. Niall had his backpack on, his hands gripping the straps, and was rocking up and down on the balls of his feet. He smiled at everyone that walked by and Zayn could see why Harry was his best friend... they both shared the same friendly personality.

"Hey, Irish." Zayn called out, walking towards him, his hands filled with Harry's books.

Niall turned to him, his smile beaming brightly. "It's Niall." Niall replied to him, reminding him of his name.

Zayn replied, laughter evident in his tone, "I know. It's just a nickname."

"Oh." Niall shrugged his shoulders, laughing off his awkwardness. "I'm just used to always reminding people of my name since they always forget." Niall sighed at realizing how much it sucked that he wasn't part of the popular crowd; they never had to remind anyone of their names cause everyone knew them.

"Well, that's not right, Niall." Zayn reached out his right hand and ruffled his hair. "I won't forget."

Niall beamed at him as they started their walk towards Harry's house. 

"So how long have you and Harry been friends?" Zayn asked, deciding that they would not walk together in silence.

"Well, I moved here when I was in me third grade and I've known Harry since then... so I would say almost eight years now."

"Wow, that's a long time."

Their conversation continued until they reached Harry's house. Niall hopped up onto the porch in excitement as he rang the doorbell. "It might take a bit since I'm sure he'll be walking slow."

After about two minutes later, Harry finally came to the door. "Niall!" He beamed and reached out his arms for a hug. Niall responded immediately, wrapping his arms around his upper body since he knew his ribs were still sore. 

Harry winced a little from the dull ache and Niall replied, "Sorry mate." He walked into Harry's home and asked, "What's for dinner?"

"You gonna invite me in, Curly?" 

Harry stopped in his steps. His heart rate increased and his mouth immediately ran dry. He would know that voice anywhere... and that nickname could only mean it was "Zayn?" he asked.

"Yeah," Zayn smiled at him. "I brought you homework." He signaled the books in his hands, causing Harry to groan in response.

"Come in... maybe." Harry teased him, causing Zayn's grin to widen.

"Well I can just toss this in with my homework."

Harry released a bellowing laugh, asking, "Where would that be? In the rubbish bin?"

"Damn straight!" Harry stepped aside and Zayn entered, whistling as he made his way into his home and looked around. "Nice place."

Harry began nervously wringing his hands again. "Umm, thanks."

Niall had already made his way into the kitchen, looking through Harry's fridge. "I'm starving, Hazza!"

Harry turned towards Niall's direction and replied, "Mum left money for pizza. I was waiting for you to get here to order it."

"Yummy, pizza! I'll take my usual!" Niall replied, grabbing some snack bars and some apple juice he found in the fridge, but still continued to dig through the pantry looking for more to snack on.

"Hazza?" Zayn asked, raising one eyebrow.

"Yeah, it's a nickname Niall gave me... long story."

Zayn set Harry's books down on the living room table and sat down on the couch, crossing his arms across his chest. "Ooh! I wanna hear all about it."

"Nah! It's embarrassing. I don't wanna tell you."

Zayn patted the seat beside him. "Come on. Now you have to tell me."

Harry made his way to sit beside Zayn, walking slowly as his ribs still ached even with all the pain meds he was taking. He finally sat down beside the dark haired boy and said, "Really, it's nothing to tell."

"What's nothing to tell?" Niall asked, his hands full of snacks.

"Well, Harry was about to tell me how he got his nickname, Hazza." Zayn replied.

Niall doubled over in laughter. "Oh ma god! Can I tell it Harry?"

"No! Why don't you order the pizza and I tell it."

"Ok, meat lovers all right?"

Harry nodded, but Zayn said, "Well I eat just about anything, but I can't eat pork." Harry raised a questioning eyebrow. "Religious reasons."

"Niall, half no pork and half meat lovers." Harry called out, but then tuned to Zayn. "Niall hates veggies on pizza."

"Ok!" Niall replied.

"So, tell me..." Zayn nudged him wth his elbow.

"Fine." Harry sighed as he began his tale. "It's from last year. Billy's party..."

"Billy Walters?" Harry nodded. "I was there. I didn't see you."

"Yeah, doesn't surprise me." Harry did spot Zayn pass by him a couple of times, but he knew Zayn wasn't even aware of his presence at all. "I almost didn't go, but Niall talked me into it. Well, I felt awkward there since I didn't know anyone there other than Niall, but then a girl hands me and Niall a drink. So, I was like 'thank you' and she starts talking to us and I kept drinking. I knew it tasted like liquor, but I kept taking small sips until I realized the whole drink was gone. I guess Niall didn't feel it cause he's got a higher tolerance than me, but I immediately felt buzzed. So anyway, long story short...the girl asked me my name and I was so messed up that all I could say was Hazza cause for some reason I couldn't say Harry."

Zayn chuckled at this. "Well, that's not that bad."

Niall finished ordering the pizza then returned to the couch and sat next to Harry. "Did you tell him about puking on Stacy?"

"Niall!" Harry glared at Niall, so angry that he brought up that part.

"Oh my god!" Zayn was laughing, wholeheartedly now, slapping his knee while he laughed. "That was you?"

Harry face palmed and groaned in reply. "Unfortunately."

"What?" Zayn eyed him curiously now. "That was the best thing that's ever happened. Stacy is such a stuck up b.itch that she deserved a little throw up to calm her snotty arse down." Zayn then continued, "God this day could not get any better. First I get out of phys ed, which I owe all to you, Curly. Then I meet the guy who threw up on Stacy. I swear you're like my hero. I would hug you if I could, but I don't want to hurt you." So he ruffled Harry's curls instead.

Harry blushed again, turning his face quickly hoping Zayn wouldn't notice his reaction to his crush's touch.

Soon the pizza arrived and the boys were wrapped up in watching a program on the telly. Niall and Harry worked on some homework while Zayn had rested his head against the couch and fell asleep. He started at the headrest, but slowly moved towards Harry - the heat of his body drawing Zayn to him.

Harry didn't realize that he had fallen asleep until he felt Zayn's head touch his arm.

"Niall," Harry whispered.

"What?"

"He fell asleep." Harry pointed his head at the sleeping lad.

"Should I wake him?" Niall asked, tentatively.

"No." Harry stared at him with fondness in his gaze. "He looks so peaceful." In reality, Harry thought he looked like an angel, but he wasn't going to admit that embarrassing fact. Harry couldn't resist staring at the sleeping beauty beside him. His long dark lashes rested on his cheeks, creating small shadows over his model-quality cheekbones. His skin was so flawless that Harry envied his striking beauty. The younger lad could not resist staring at his full lips, wondering what it would feel like to kiss him - just a small taste, a quick peck. It wouldn't hurt would it?

"Don't you dare," Niall whispered, staring at his best friend, obviously picking up on his thoughts.

"I know I shouldn't, but it's just so tempting," Harry whispered back, letting Niall know that he was right in his assumption.

"If he wakes up to you snogging him, he'll never agree to protect you."

"You're right... as always... but it's way too tempting. Make me think about something else, please." Harry was close to begging now, having to fight with himself over stealing a quick kiss from the boy of his dreams. 

Niall was really bad about trying to think quick in a crunch, so he blurted out, "Do you know he's in our math class? He's behind in math. He told me it's his worst subject."

"Really?" Harry returned his gaze to Zayn, his look showing thoughtfulness as he wondered why he struggled with math, feeling hopeful that he could help him. "We have to help him." Harry smiled down at him, sighing at the feeling of Zayn's soft hair resting on his arm, longing to run his fingers through the strands.

"Yeah, but we can't do that if he runs off now, can we?"

"You're right, Niall. I won't kiss him."

"So you'll be able to help him while you both have study hall together."

"What? How do you know that?"

Niall chuckled. "Zayn told me today at lunch. He said the principal gave him a new schedule, closer to your classes, and phys ed for both of ya has been switched to study hall."

"Really?" Harry was grinning now. Zayn would be closer to his classes? Hopefully, they would be able to walk together and he now had 2 classes with him. He couldn't have asked for better news. "Guess, it happened when mum went to the school this morning to excuse my absences."

"Yeah... so what did you get for number 3?" 

Harry tried so hard to focus on his work, but his gaze continued to stray towards the boy whom he'd fallen in love with at first sight.


	6. First Day Back

Zayn awoke with a start, his head bumping against Harry's arm at the sound of his cell phone. The sudden movement of his jolt awake, caused Harry to be shocked and topple over Zayn.

"Careful Curly." Zayn grasped onto his shoulders quickly before he toppled onto him, flashing that gorgeous smile of his. Harry had been lucky enough to witness a few of those smiles where his tongue poked behind his teeth and his cheeks pushed up high enough to make his eyes look squinty. His breath caught in his lungs and he blushed, as he was captivated by the intensity of how it felt to be on the receiving end of that smile.

"Umm, sorry."

"It's ok." Zayn pulled his cell phone out of his jeans pocket when it rang again answering it after he viewed who was calling him. "Hey mum...I'm alright. I'm at a friend's house." Zayn chuckled then. "Oh! Be quiet. I have friends." He stared at Harry, smiling brightly as before. "Ok, mum, I'll ask... yeah I should be home soon. Yeah, we were working on a project... ok love you too... bye." Zayn then turned to Harry and Niall stating, "Well, I should get going."

Niall beamed his bright smile and said, "If you wait a bit, I'm sure Harry's mum will take you home when she gets home."

"Well that actually would be great...save me the walk home."

Harry turned to Niall, wondering what was going on in the little Irish lad's head. Niall just smiled at him in return, letting Harry know that he wasn't going to say anything.

Shortly after, Harry's mum arrived and everyone packed up their belongings before climbing in the car. Anne was helping Harry get seated in the back seat of the car when Niall shouted, "Shotgun!" Harry glared at Niall when he realized that meant he would be seated beside Zayn in the backseat. Niall just grinned and winked at his best friend, but Harry was far from happy.

Luckily, Anne saved Harry by saying, "Actually I think Zayn should sit up front. It'll give us a chance to talk." She wasn't sure how comfortable she was with her son sitting so closely to his secret crush and she also figured she would get to know Zayn during the drive.

Zayn was more than happy to have the shotgun seat. "Thanks."

Once Niall sat next to him, Harry asked in a whisper, "What the heck are you trying to do?"

"I was just trying to give you more time with him," Niall replied, whispering as well.

"Well, cool it. You're gonna make him suspicious."

"Ok, I'll cool it." Niall promised.

"What was that boys?" Anne asked as she put the car into drive.

"Niall and I were discussing a project we're working on. Right Niall?"

Niall glanced over at Zayn, grinning as he replied, "Yeah. Right."

Anne had a lovely discussion with Zayn before dropping him off at his home. He was very grateful that she drove him home as his family's home was a good 3 miles from Harry's house. As he exited the car, he thanked Anne for the ride home and turned to Harry. "Get better soon, Curly. See you tomorrow."

Harry again responded in the usual manner of wringing his hands nervously and softly replying, "Ok... tomorrow."

"Good night everyone." Zayn waved a goodbye in their direction before turning and walking away.

Anne caught sight of Harry's reaction- his cheeks tinted with a blush and he chewed on his lower lip. He tried to hide his grin, but his sunken in dimples gave it away. She couldn't resist teasing him a bit. "Curly huh?" 

Harry grinned whole-heartedly now. "What? He just gave me a nickname."

Niall called out, "He calls me Irish too."

"Yeah, but he doesn't make you a blushing mess when he calls you the nickname now, does he." She teased him even further.

Harry blushed even harder at his mum's words. "I'm not a blushing mess." Damn, even he couldn't believe his own lie. Niall just chuckled at his friend's misery.

"Honey, are you going to be ok with this?" His mum was serious now. "I can't imagine how you must feel with all this. I can tell you like Zayn, so I wanna make sure..."

"I don't like Zayn." Harry interrupted, feeling extremely uncomfortable at the turn of the conversation.

"Baby, it's ok. I'm already fine with you being gay. You know I love you no matter what."

"Yeah, but he's not gay. He's like completely straight... but anyway I don't like him like that. Why would you even..." Harry rambled as Niall looked away, awkwardly and it clicked how his mother found out about his crush. "Niall!" Harry slapped his arm. "How could you?"

Niall put up his hands in defense. "I didn't do anything."

"Relax honey." Anne tried to diffuse the situation. "Niall didn't say anything, but now I know it's true."

"Sorry Niall." Harry apologized even though Niall had told Anne while Harry was in the hospital, but she would save him from her son's anger.

"It's ok." Niall replied.

"So tell me, baby. Are you going to be ok with this?" Anne asked again. "Zayn seems like he has a good head on his shoulders."

"Yeah, mum. It'll be fine. Zayn is a great guy." Harry sighed, unable to keep the fondness in his voice.

After Niall was dropped off in his home, Anne and Harry headed back home. Soon after, Harry headed up to bed after having a brief talk with his mum. Once in his room, he lay his head against his pillow and thought about everything that had happened to him after his horrendous beating. As he thought about all the little moments he had with Zayn, he grinned realizing that his mother was right. She had told him that "No one likes pain, but you can't have a little sunshine without a little rain." He lay there thinking over her words. He did relate them to how he had to get hurt (the rain part) to get the sunshine of Zayn in his life. He groaned and pulled the covers over his head as he realized he even felt a little grateful to his attackers for causing Zayn to be in his life now. Damn he had it bad because, seriously, who is grateful to be attacked? That was his last thought before he fell asleep.

The following two days, Zayn and Niall continued to hang out at school before making their way to see Harry. 

Zayn was more than a little surprised when Niall had joined him again at his lunch table on that Thursday, but by Friday, it was already his routine. Zayn always wanted to keep up his bad boy persona, but he always asked Niall about how Harry was doing. Niall even managed to make Zayn laugh with his witty and funny lunch conversations. In their shared math class after lunch, Niall even saved a seat for Zayn beside him. Zayn groaned at having to sit in the second row of seats, since he was more comfortable sitting in the back, choosing to hide from the teacher. He definitely felt that by sitting in the far back, he was 'out of sight and out of mind,' but Niall was persisitent, so he groaned and griped about the seat, but he sat beside him anyway. There was just something about Niall's personality that made it hard to say no to him.

After school, Zayn would pick up Harry's homework from the student office and walk with Niall to deliver it to the younger lad. Zayn hated to admit it, but he was feeling a bit grateful for his present situation since he enjoyed Niall's company and even enjoyed having the little Irish lad sit with him at lunch. He even looked for him at lunch to make sure he would spot his table and join him.

When they reached Harry's house, Harry would greet both lads cheerily and Zayn could never resist returning the smile. Harry had seemed to always have a smile for him even when he was being shy. Zayn did catch onto the younger lad's shy moments, since he would always react the same. His cheeks would tint in pinkness from his blush and he would chew on his lower lip and his gaze would shy away. Then he would nervously fidget with his hands whenever Zayn asked him a question. Zayn had been becoming a great observer of people since he had grown accustomed to studying things, including people, when he would draw in his sketch pad. His art had begun as a hobby that started with his doodling out of boredom during his classes, but then he found it was a great outlet for whatever he was feeling at the moment.

"Hey Tyson." Zayn had greeted Harry on Thursday.

"Hey Zayn. How you doing?" Harry replied, his customary shy reponses kicking in immediately.

"Great. How are you doing?"

"Good."

"Staying out of trouble or are you going around picking fights?" Zayn teased, causing Harry to grin so widely that Zayn thought his face would freeze that way.

Harry chuckled as he replied, "Of course. Just watching the telly in the living room. Wanna join us?" He was hopeful when he asked him to join him and Niall that evening, looking for any excuse to have his crush near him.

"Not tonight, Curly. Maybe next time." Zayn had actually been having trouble sleeping since the incident, so he was anxious to get home to try to catch up on his sleep, even though he had been unsuccessful for the past few days.

It hurt Harry to watch him walk away, but he knew he would have to get used to this since there was no way Zayn would be his.

On Friday after school, Zayn had again brought him homework and greeted him with a "Hey, Holyfield."

Harry caught on that Zayn seemed to be very knowledgable on names of famous boxers, so Harry had in turn learned of names of famous bad boys, so he replied, "Hey James Dean."

"Rebel Without A Cause. Clever Curly. I love that film." Zayn replied, grinning widely as he hovered in Harry's doorway.

"Wanna come in and watch it? We can stream it on my laptop and I can make us some popcorn..."

"Thanks, but I can't tonight." Zayn still wasn't able to sleep so well, so he was anxious to get home again to get some Zzs.

Harry tried to hide the disappointment he felt as he replied, "Ok. Well thanks again for bringing me the work."

"Anytime, Curly." And with that Zayn was gone again.

Harry shut his door as he made his way to Niall, who just stared at him, tsked and shook his head. "I don't wanna hear it Niall." Harry sat down beside him and asked with sadness in his tone. "Is it me? What am I doing wrong?"

Niall wrapped his arm around his best friend in a comforting embrace, while Harry rested his head on his shoulder. "Of course it's not you. You know Zayn is a loner. Give him time, I'm sure he'll be your best friend in no time."

"Maybe." Harry released a frustrated breath. "Or maybe, he just doesn't want to be my friend."

Niall consoled him that night, but Harry still felt saddened at the realization that he was so close to Zayn, but it would never move past the stage of protector and protectee.

When Monday rolled around, Louis had arrived at his house in order to drive Harry and Niall to school. Maura, Niall's mum, had dropped off her son at Harry's home as this would be the arrangement that everyone had agreed on to make sure the two boys would made it back and forth from school safely. That meant that Niall had to now wake up earlier in the mornings so his mother wouldn't be late to work, but at least he got to spend more time with his best friend.

Louis had headed off to his first class, while Niall walked with Harry towards his first class. Unfortunately, their long time bully had seen them and Harry groaned as he prepared himself for Freddie's verbal assault. Freddie never harmed them physically, but his verbal taunts were enough to make both boys miserable.

"Well, if it isn't the queer and his boyfriend." He snickered as he prepared for the verbal assault he was going to unleash on Harry and Niall.

Zayn had woken up late and was now racing towards Harry's first class, upset that he already missed his first task of guard duty. He stopped in his tracks when he heard the insult and his anger flared when he saw Harry's head down, obviously hurt by the words. He didn't think about his actions as he ran up to the bully, grabbing him by his shirt, and slamming him against the lockers behind him. "What was that, you little shit?"

Harry's head raised and he stared in shock at the sight before him. "Zayn?" He asked, wiping away a tear that was sliding down his cheek.

Zayn turned to look at Harry and his anger flared more at the sight of the normally happy boy, looking sad and wiping tears from his eyes. "I asked you a question, arsehole!" He screamed at the boy he had pinned against the lockers.

"N-nothing," Freddie nervously stammered, not knowing how to react to Zayn and his anger.

"Damn right! You see that kid there?" Zayn pointed to Harry. "He's my friend and if you ever fuck with him again, you'll answer to me and I'll make you regret the day you were born." 

Just then their principal, Mr. Reynolds, walked up to the scene where now tons of students had gathered and stared in awe as Zayn threatened the boy in his hands. "Mr. Malik, let go of him now!" He turned to view around him, pointing to Freddie, Zayn and Harry. "You three in my office now!"

Harry turned to Niall. "I didn't do anything."

Niall replied, "It's ok. You didn't do anything wrong, Harry. I'll defend you. Tell him to ask me and I'll tell him."

"Thanks, Niall. I'll let you know."

Zayn walked beside Harry as they made their to Mr. Reynolds' office. The principal took in Freddie first, while Zayn and Harry sat in the waiting area. Harry nervously bounced his knee and chewed on his thumbnail. "I've never been in trouble before." Harry's voice trembled as he spoke the words.

The older lad started to calm his anger as he took in the panicked state of Harry. "It's ok. You did nothing wrong." He wrapped his arm around the younger lad, realizing he didn't need the extra stress of the situation on the same day he just returned to school. "I'll take the blame for everything ok. Don't worry."

Harry had been so worried that he didn't even realize that he was wrapped in a comforting embrace by his crush. His heart was already racing and his palms were sweating from his nervousness. When the principal called them both into his office, Harry thought he would pass out if Zayn hadn't had a comforting hand on his back.

Zayn immediately jumped into defense mode as soon as they entered his office. "Sir, Harry had nothing to do with it. Don't punish him, please."

"Relax boys." Mr. Reynolds smiled at them. "Neither one of you are in trouble. Have a seat." He signaled the chairs in front of his desk. "I wanna talk to you both. I was actually coming to bring you both in my office this morning."

"Really? Thank you... thank you so much." Harry replied, inhaling a relaxing breath.

"Yes. I wanted to make sure you both were on board with the arrangement we have made for you both."

Harry and Zayn nodded in response, and Zayn replied, "Yeah."

"Great. Harry, your mother and I talked last week and I'm sorry about what happened to you. I wanted to let you know that we have a zero tolerance policy with bullying in our school. I assure you that we will do everything possible to assure that we will not allow anyone to hurt you like that again. I also want you to feel free to come to me for anything you may need, ok."

Harry nodded and replied, "Thank you sir."

"And Zayn. Thank you for helping Harry here, but never put your hands on another student again. I'm letting this one slide since you were defending Harry, but never let me see you do that again, ok."

"Yeah, alright." Zayn replied, shocked that he wasn't going to be in any trouble.

"And don't worry, Freddie won't be bothering you again. He's been suspended and we're contacting his parents."

Harry gasped in shock. "Really, cause of me?"

"Partly, but he has been warned before and has not learned to respect others, so we don't need him in our school if that's how he's going to behave."

Harry sighed in relief. He felt like today was the greatest day of his life. His bully was out of his hair for a while. "Thank you," he smiled brightly at his principal.

"Now, if he ever bothers you again, please come to me. Also, Zayn, if you notice anyone harrassing Harry, come to me immediately and we'll take care of them."

"Ok," Zayn replied.

Once Harry and Zayn retrieved their passes to go to class, Zayn said, "Well, that went better than expected. First time I've ever been to the principal's office and I wasn't in trouble." He chuckled as he spoke.

Harry caught Zayn off guard when he threw his arms around Zayn's neck and embraced him in a tight hug. "Thank you, Zayn. I've never had anyone defend me like you did. Thanks for saving me, again." Harry burrowed his head into his neck and inhaled the intoxicating scent of his crush's cologne.

Zayn didn't know how else to respond, but to return the hug. He made sure that no one was around, then wrapped his arms tightly around his new friend. "Anytime Curly."

If Zayn knew how this one bit of affection was going to affect his future days, he would have rethought sharing that hug with Harry.


	7. Bruises And All

After the end of their first class, Zayn rushed towards Harry's classroom to make sure he was right on time to walk with Harry to his next class. Zayn spotted the younger lad walking towards the door, but what surprised him was that he walked beside a pretty brunette. Her skin was a light tan and her brunette hair cascaded in loose waves down her back and over her shoulders.

Zayn smirked at the pair, knowing he was going to tease Harry about the girl, until he saw her grab Harry's hand and smile up at him. Zayn felt slightly confused on why the sight of the two holding hands made him feel a bit uncomfortable. 

He brushed away the uneasy feeling as just his protective instinct kicking in and when Harry smiled at him as soon as his gaze fell on him, Zayn relaxed a lot more. Zayn felt even more perplexed at why his gaze drowned into Harry's sparkling green eyes and it was only released when he heard the two speak to each other.

"See you later, Harry," the brunette said as she released his hand and waved at the lad, before walking away.

"Bye, Maggie."

"She your girlfriend?" Zayn meant to ask the question with a teasing tone, but it sounded more like an accusation.

Harry chuckled and blushed in response. "Maggie? No way. She's a friend."

"You sure man? She seemed really into you."

Harry covered his mouth as the laughter consumed him, causing his body to shake. "No way!" Harry was close to giggling now. "I've known her since kindergarten. I could never see her that way."

"Hmm..." Zayn bumped his shoulder against Harry's playfully and added, "It's ok to tell me. I won't tell anyone."

"Seriously, I've seen her in pig tails. She's just a friend. Trust me when I tell you she's not my type anyway." Harry let that last part slip out, but prayed Zayn wouldn't catch onto the meaning of his words. He would feel horribly embarrassed if Zayn discovered that he was Harry's secret crush.

Zayn did feel slightly relieved that the smiling brunette was not Harry's type, but that just fueled his teasing on the younger lad. "Hmm, if she's not your type, then who is?" Zayn kept spitting out different looks as they made their way towards Harry's next class. "Blondes?" 

Harry shook his head. "Nope."

"Red heads?"

"I'm not picky on hair color." Harry chewed on his bottom lip as he stared at the dark hair styled neatly on the older lad's head, longing to run his fingers through the strands.

"Ok, breasts then. You must like them huge." Zayn cupped his hands against his chest, mimicking a nice visual of his words.

Harry's face turned beet red from the blush that followed. He chuckled as he tried to cover up his embarrassment. "Not really. I don't mind a flat chest."

"Flat?" Zayn raised a questioning eyebrow. "Where's the fun in that?"

"Looks aren't everything Zayn."

"Pshh! Don't tell me you're one of those personality guys."

"Actually yes I am. If they have a good personality and a great sense of humor, then the beauty inside will reflect on the outside."

"Come on, Harry. You don't seriously believe that?" Zayn teased, staring at his facial features to verify if he was joking or not.

Harry just confirmed his words by nodding and saying, "Yup, I sure do believe that. And on that note, here's my class. See ya after." 

Zayn nodded and gave a slight wave as he walked to his next class, Harry's words replaying in his mind. Zayn sat in class and came to the conclusion that Harry must have been joking. Damn he got him good. That lad was going to make a killing with girls if he got them thinking his words were true. He was so anxious to let Harry know that he didn't fall for his lies, that he bolted up from his seat the second the bell rang, signaling the class was over.

"You're hilarious, Curly!" He called out a soon as he spotted him standing in the doorway of his classroom. 

Harry chuckled at his statement. "What? Why?" He asked, arching a confused eyebrow at him.

"You almost had me going."

"What are you talking about?" Harry continued to chuckle at Zayn's enthusiasm.

"Earlier when you said you're attracted to a girl's personality rather than her looks. You almost got me."

"We're still on that? I was being serious, Zayn." Harry never said he was attracted to girls, but he wasn't going to correct Zayn on that for fear of him finding out his secret.

"So you would be with an ugly girl?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "Why not?"

"So what if she had a hump on her back?" Zayn continued. "Or bad halitosis or horrible acne?"

Harry laughed again. "Well, that's what chewing gum and pimple cream are for. The hump on the back... well, guess I'll have a place to set my cuppa tea on."

Zayn laughed loudly, causing some students to stare at them. He wrapped his arm around Harry's shoulders in a friendy embrace causing Harry's heart to skip a beat as he felt like he was going to stop breathing from the contact. "You're alright Harry. Well, here's your class. See ya after."

"Ok, thanks Zayn." Zayn smiled and turned to walk away. Harry, however, couldn't help but stare discreetly at the older lad as he walked away. He bit his bottom lip as he stared at his arse, watching his jeans sag a bit from the flatness of his rear end. 

After the class was over, Harry was the one who approached the topic again when he saw Zayn. "I mean what if it were you, Zayn? What if something happened to you and your lost your good looks? Wouldn't you want your girlfriend to stand by your side? How many really attractive girls can you say will actually do that?"

"Me, lose my good looks... psh... never!" Zayn replied, sarcastically.

"I mean seriously. Wouldn't you want someone to be there for you, no matter what?"

"I dunno, Curly. I guess so."

"I mean if you're with someone who has a good heart, they will be there for you no matter what. You know, attractive or not. They would still be in love with the you inside."

"Well, what about you Curly?" Zayn decided to turn the tables on him. "Would you stay with me if I was horriblly disfigured or something? I mean if you were a girl."

"Me?" Harry's mouth dried and he struggled to swallow what little spit he had in his mouth. He knew the answer, had known it from the first moment Zayn had become his crush at first sight. It would be yes he would stay, but Harry had to choose his words carefully when he replied. He couldn't let Zayn catch on that he was unconditionally in love with him.

"Umm, geez, if I were a girl..." He began speaking, jokingly, to try to expel his nervousness. "... then yeah, if I was in love with you, then of course I would stay."

"Then you're a better guy than I thought you were. I don't know if I could." Zayn admitted in all honesty. "I know that makes me shallow, but I don't think I could look at someone the same if they weren't the same person I was attracted to in the first place. F.uck! I know that makes me sound so selfish..."

"Not at all, Zayn. I can see where you're coming from." Harry felt a bit saddened by his words, realizing that Zayn was not selfish really. It was just the way society had implanted in people's minds how a person looks made him or her attractive, rather than a person's heart. He saw that he was approaching his classroom and added, "I just wish I could find that person who would stay with me, bruises and all. See ya later." Harry gave a slight wave as he entered his classroom. He moped all the way to his desk, without a backward glance at his crush walking away. He was saddened by the fact that maybe Zayn didn't deserve to be so high up on the pedestal he put him on, as he first thought he was.

Zayn stood in the hallway for a moment, staring at the curly-haired lad. He thought over his words...I wish I could find someone who would stay, bruises and all. Honestly, Zayn wondered why Harry looked sad. He had no doubt in his mind that Harry would find a girl to stay with him. He was a nice guy with a kind heart after all and the girl he picked would gladly be with him, it might even be that Maggie girl. Though, Zayn wasn't sure why, but there was something he just didn't like about that girl.

"Get to class now, the bell's going to ring soon." A teacher's voice snapped Zayn out of his thoughts. He reached his classroom before the bell went off and again he was lost in thoughts of his new friend. Harry's words were roaming his mind, bruises and all. Zayn had realized that he hadn't even asked how Harry was feeling after his incident. The bruises on his face were close to clearing away, but he was sure the nasty ones on his ribs would last a lot longer.

When the bell rang, Zayn grabbed his books, getting ready to walk with Harry to lunch, but his teacher called out, "Zayn, I need you to stay after class."

Great! Zayn thought to himself. After a long and boring lecture about his lack of attention during the class, he finally made his way to Harry's classroom. He had been caught doodling in his sketch book rather than listening to the lesson. Luckily, he was saved from embarrassment from having to admit to his teacher how his new friend had been occupying his thoughts and his doodling was a way to sort his thoughts out. However, he was disappointed that Harry was gone when he got there. 

He raced towards his lunch spot, where he hoped Niall was waiting for him along with Harry. Thankfully, he spotted Harry's nest of brown curls before he spotted his Irish friend. "Harry! Niall!" Zayn called out once he was within their hearing distance. Niall beamed in response, whereas Harry just frowned.

"'Sup badboy!" Niall replied, so happy that Zayn had actually called him by his name and he didn't have to remind him of it.

"I'm all right." Zayn replied, placing his right hand on Harry's shoulder, before addressing him. "Sorry I'm late, Curly. Damn teacher held me after class."

Harry mumbled out a "It's ok."

Niall just chuckled and asked, "What you do this time?"

"Nothing big. Got caught not paying attention. Damn class bored me to death. So, what's for lunch?" Zayn sat down for a moment and stared at Harry, wondering why the young lad looked so downtrodden. 

"It's my fave, pizza!" Niall replied, so cheery that Harry cringed at the happiness dripping from his voice.

"Yum! How about you, Curly?"

"Ham and cheese sandwich." Harry mumbled again, feeling so depressed that all he could manage was a half smile, which consisted of a barely lifted side of his mouth.

Zayn eyed Harry wearily, wondering why he looked so down. Did someone hurt him again? He would kick whoever's arse responsible for his sadness. Zayn got up to get his lunch from the cafeteria and stood with his arms crossed over his chest and realized that he missed Harry's smile. What surprised him most was the fact that he knew he would do anything to bring his smile back.

Throughout the lunch, Zayn and Niall spoke as usual, but Harry remained rather quiet. He picked at his sandwich and barely ate any of his crisps. Harry was quiet through their shared math class and their shared study hall together. He was even quiet during their cab ride home. Harry's mum insisted on the boys taking a cab to Harry's home after school until she could make other arrangements for them to make it home safely.

When all three stood in front of Harry's home, Harry unlocked the door and held it open for them. Niall entered first, but Zayn grabbed onto Harry's hand, and pulled him away from the door. He rested his right hand on the wall beside Harry's head, slightly encasing him and asked, "Ok, Curly. Why have you been so quiet today?"

Harry was caught by surprise by the sudden movement and it was hard to focus on anything but the gorgeous bloke who had him encased against his home. "Don't know what you mean." His voice was only a bit above a whisper. Zayn wouldn't have even heard his words if he hadn't being so close.

"I don't like this quiet you. You're always smiling. What's wrong?" Zayn's light brown eyes pierced through his green eyes and Harry almost forgot to breathe.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Don't know."

"Did anyone hurt you?" Zayn's concern was evident in his voice, but Harry shook his head. "Did I hurt you? Was it something I said?"

Harry hesitated for a moment since he was honestly upset about his conversation with Zayn today, but he wasn't going to say anything. "No, it wasn't..."

Zayn interrupted him, "So it was me. I'm sorry I come off as a d.ick sometimes, but trust me, I have my reasons."

Harry suddenly felt so nervous, feeling so overwhelmed that Zayn had apologized to him. Mr. Gorgeous BadAss had just apologized to him, a regular nobody in his school. "You didn't..." Harry again tried to explain, but was cut off yet again.

"I hope I didn't ruin our friendship. I really like hanging out with you and the little Irish one." Zayn was smiling widely and Harry already felt his sadness slipping away. Zayn's smile was enough to chase it away and he was already forgetting why he had been so upset in the first place.

"No you didn't..."

"Thank god cause I really like..." 

This time, Zayn was the one interrupted by Harry, when he groaned and asked, "Will you quit interrupting me?"

Zayn chuckled at Harry's response. "Haha! That works with my sisters too." Harry just stared at Zayn like he had lost his mind. "I make you pissed off enough that you forget about being sad and you just go straight to being happy."

Harry couldn't control the smile that spread across his face after hearing Zayn's words. Ok, maybe he did deserve to be up on that pedestal. Harry tensed up though when Zayn leaned in closer, his hand moving closer to Harry's head and began, "You know if you..."

"Where are you, Harry?" Niall's voice called out through the doorway.

Harry was glad when Zayn replied, "We'll be in in a bit," because Harry couldn't even find his voice at the moment.

Niall poked his head out the door and stared at the two lads. Harry wasn't even going to look up at Niall because he knew he would find him staring at them wide-eyed at how they must have looked, Harry enclosed in Zayn's arms with Zayn leaning in, like they were about to snog. Harry could hear the grin in Niall's voice, "Just wanted to know if I should order pizza? I'm starving."

Harry cleared his throat, his body's response to Zayn's nearness felt almost crippling. He knew he could have easily melted into a puddle on the ground if it hadn't been for the wall of his home holding him up. "Yeah," Harry breathed out, not being able to find his voice.

"Yeah." Zayn kept his gaze pinned on Harry and added, "But no pork on mine."

Harry stared up at Zayn and asked, "You're staying?"

Zayn smirked while replying, "Yeah, I'm staying. Bruises and all."

Harry's heart skipped a beat at Zayn's words. He felt so touched that not only did Zayn listen to him earlier when he had said the statment, but he repeated it back to him.

Zayn moved away from him and entered his home. Harry took a moment to try to compose himself before following him in. He bit his lower lip, grinning the entire time and placed his hand over his heart. He had just fallen more in love with the older lad and knew this could only mean trouble.


	8. Sleepy Kisses

Niall took one look at Harry when he walked in and immediately said, "Harry, I need you to help me find something in your room."

Harry raised up an eyebrow at him in confusion, but allowed Niall to grab his hand and lead him into his bedroom. He called out a, "Be right back," to Zayn. The older lad responded with his hand giving a slight wave.

When both lads reached the bedroom, Niall shut the door behind them and asked, "What the hell was that Harry?"

Harry sighed and blushed in his content state, unable to keep the happiness from his voice. "What?" he asked.

"Were you two seriously snogging outside?" Niall's eyes were as huge as saucers and Harry couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.

"No," Harry sighed with the disappointment, but then asked with his voice full of hope, "Do you think he was going to?"

Niall chuckled at his enthusiasm, hating to crush his fantasy. "Harry, Zayn is straight. Do you seriously think he was going to?"

"No... but he did say bruises and all..." Harry's voice trailed away as he lay his back against his bed, covering his eyes with his hands as the memory replayed in his mind.

"What are you talking about, Harry?"

Harry chuckled and cupped his chin with his palm, his fingers splaying on his cheeks. "I said it today, then he said it to me."

"Ok, what did you say?"

"Today, Niall!" Harry groaned, hating that he had to explain it to him. He just wanted to float in a dream of him and Zayn together, boyfriend and boyfriend. "I said I wanted to find someone who would stay with me, bruises and all... and he said it back to me." Harry squealed as he continued, "He said it to me before... outside..."

Niall was the one chuckling now. "Harry, he probably meant friendship. Like he'll be your friend. I don't think he meant more than that."

Harry groaned again. "I know... Niall. Way to kill my dream."

"Sorry Hazza, I hate to be the one to crush your dream, but you need to face reality. Zayn is straight and you're gonna have to control yourself so he doesn't get weirded out."

"I know. I know."

Niall walked over to the bed and sat beside Harry. "I don't wanna seem like a jerk, but you've been my best friend for so long that I can't stand to see you hurt."

Harry sat up and stared at Niall. "I know. You're my best friend too. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Same here." 

Both boys embraced each other in a hug and Harry kissed Niall's hair when they separated. "I love you, Nialler."

Niall hollered in laughter. "I love you too, Hazza, but not as much as you love Zayn obviously!"

"Huh?"

"Your semi finally went away." Niall continued to laugh until his face started turning beet red.

"What are you going on about?"

"You were sporting a tent when you came in."

Harry's face immediately flushed in embarrassment. "No way! You're kidding right?"

"I wish I was. I don't think I could ever erase that from my memory," Niall teased, shivering as he said the words.

"Oh my god!" Harry covered his face with his hand in embarrassment. "Do you think he noticed?"

"I don't think so. I'm sure if he did, he would've teased you about it or he wouldn't have stayed. I think you're safe."

They both shared a good laugh over Harry's embarrassing moment before heading back to the livingroom with Zayn. This time, Niall sat in between Zayn and Harry as per Harry's request because he didn't want to pop another tent in his pants by Zayn's nearness. All three watched TV and devoured the pizza in no time. Then Niall and Harry started on their homework.

"Aren't you gonna do yours?" Niall asked Zayn. Zayn shrugged his shoulders. "I can do it at home. I think I'm going to need help with the maths though." (A/N: In England, they say maths whereas in the US, we just say math.)

Niall, who had been feeling so uncomfortable sitting in between the two lads due to Harry sneaking peeks at his crush, happily volunteered Harry for the job. "Well, Harry is the best with it. I'm sure he could help ya. I'm gonna go get us some more drinks."

Harry glared at Niall, but Niall simply smiled as he stood up and took his time getting their drinks.

"So, Curly. You're a genius with maths, huh?" Zayn asked.

Harry smiled nervously. "Not a genius, but I understand the lessons so far."

"Don't let him fool ya, Zayn!" Niall called from the kitchen. "He's a genius!" Harry groaned quietly, knowing he was going to kick Niall's arse for this one.

"Well, great then. Get over here, Curly." He patted the seat beside him. "I won't bite."

Harry couldn't control the many fantasies that flooded into his mind, all involving Zayn biting him. He managed to scoot over and take a deep, relaxing breath to control his hormones. All of his nervous responses hitting all at once: the wringing of his hands, the rise in his body temperature and the blush staining his cheeks.

Luckily, Harry survived the teaching lesson he had given Zayn and Zayn admitted that he understood what he was taught. "Damn, Curly. You're a better teacher than those morons in that school."

"Umm, thanks." Harry combed his fingers through his hair, brushing back some stray curls that had fallen onto his forehead. "I've actually thought about teaching. I dunno, I still haven't decided."

Niall added, "I think you should become a teacher. You've helped me plenty of times."

Zayn grinned at Harry. "You really should think about it. You've helped me understand this jibberish tonight. You've done better than all those jerks who call themselves teachers. Most of them don't even care and just sit on their arses just collecting a check."

Harry was overwhelming ecstatic over the compliment Zayn had given him, that he grinned widely and said, "Thanks, Zayn."

The three boys continued to work on their homework and just like before, Zayn had fallen asleep. Harry had been focusing on his reading assignment and didn't realize until Zayn's head had landed in his lap. Zayn wrapped his arms around Harry's waist and snuggled into him using the younger lad as his human pillow.

"Niall," Harry whispered.

"What?" Niall asked, looking up at Harry.

"He's asleep on me again."

"Want me to wake him?"

"No. He's so beautiful when he sleeps, but I want a pic. Use your phone."

"Seriously?"

"Shh! Yeah... please."

"God, you're so weird!" Niall grabbed his phone. "Fine." He snapped the pic, then said, "I'm gonna use the loo."

Harry felt like an addict, battling his craving for Zayn as soon as Niall walked away. He gazed down at his crush in his lap. His long dark eyelashes, resting on his well-defined tanned cheeks. The small laugh lines around his mouth and those lips... oh those full, soft-looking lips, just begging for a kiss. And just like the addict he was, he had to have a hit of his drug. He knew his time was limited, so he quickly made his decision, not wanting to think it over too long or else he would chicken out.

Harry lowered his head and softly pressed his lips to Zayn's. It was exactly how he imagined it would be. His lips were so soft and were sweet from the sugary sweet drink that had brushed past them. And just like the addict he was, he had to have another hit. This time when he pressed his lips to Zayn's, he felt his blood rush through his veins and could hear the fast thumping of his racing heart in his ears. He brushed the tip of his tongue on his lower lip, fighting the urge to just push it into Zayn's mouth and taste him fully. He pulled away because he thought he heard Zayn moan, but he wasn't sure if he had done it or it was his own moan. It was hard to tell from the loud pounding in his ears. He leaned in again to have another taste, but he heard the bathroom door open.

Harry stared down at his crush's lips, knowing that now that he'd had a taste, he wanted more. He would have this memory embedded in his mind for the rest of his life.

Niall must have sensed that Harry would have been battling against temptation since his crush had wrapped himself all over him, that he whispered, "You behaving Hazza?"

The sound of Niall's voice startled Harry and he jumped up a bit in his seat. The movement shifted Zayn and startled him awake. "What's going on?" Zayn mumbled sleepily, rubbing the remnants of sleep from his eyes.

"You...um...you fell asleep," Harry breathed out, still struggling to breathe normally from the rush of the kiss plus being startled.

"Hmm, sorry. I really haven't been sleeping so well, so I can't help passing out when I can." Zayn admitted his lack of sleep, but he wasn't going to discuss that they stemmed from his nightmares about Harry. However, this one particular dream he was having was different. Zayn stretched his arms and caused Harry to wince from the pain in his ribs. Just then, Zayn realized he was in Harry's lap. "Sorry, Harry." He sat up and stared at him, the concern showing on his face.

Harry grinned, loving the sound of his name fall from his lips, coated in that thick Bradford accent of his. "It's ok."

"Did I hurt you?" Zayn still had his worry etched all over his face; his brows were furrowed and a frown was tainting his beautiful mouth.

"No, I'm ok really."

"You should've woken me up. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Really I'm ok."

"You sure?"

Harry was giggling now. "I'm sure...promise."

"Ok. Well, I'm going to go use the bathroom." Zayn stood up and walked towards the bathroom and Niall turned to Harry.

"What was all that about?" Niall asked, with his don't-you-dare-tell-me-a-lie face on.

"Nothing." Harry lied, of course he lied. Why would he even think to admit something so personal as a stolen kiss to Niall. Even though Niall was his best friend, he couldn't even think of the repercussions of Niall's conscious making him tell Zayn what happened. He definitely would not risk it, so it would stay his secret for as long as possible.

When Zayn reached the bathroom and had the door secured safely behind him, he exhaled the breath he didn't even realize he was holding. What the hell was that dream about? He was so utterly confused. He could still feel his heart pounding in his chest, the loud hammering of the muscle beating against his chest cavity. He felt like he had been running a marathon rather than the nap, and rather than feeling at least a bit rested, he felt even more exhausted. Ok, so he would chalk it up to exhaustion because no way did he think... Zayn stared at himself in the mirror. There was definitely no way in the world that he was...

Zayn grinned at the preposterous idea that he liked Harry as in more than a friend. It was just his mind playing tricks on him. The sadness he felt over Harry's assault was just taking its toll on his dreams. Yet as he splashed water onto his face from the sink's faucet, he couldn't help but grin at the experience of how it felt to even kiss Harry - a boy - in his dream. He had to admit to himself, that if he were gay, he would definitely go for a guy like Harry. He chuckled lowly, so thankful that Harry didn't know of his somewhat gay thoughts. Thank goodness Harry was straight, so he wouldn't have to be concerned about it.

Zayn leaned over the toilet bowl, after he unzipped his jeans, to empty his bladder and pieces of the dream replayed in his mind. The dream had begun the same as always, Harry calling for help as either one or the other guy beat on him. Zayn was always running after one, while the other continued his merciless assault on the younger lad. This time though, he was able to reach Harry and the two guys disappeared. Harry stood up, covered in blood and bruises, looking the exact way he had on the day of his attack, and embraced him in a hug. Zayn could hear Harry thanking him, his voice thick with emotion and he knew that his green eyes were filled with tears from all his pain. Suddenly they were both standing in their school's hallway, the same way as this morning when they shared their hug. 

Next thing he knew, Harry had his lips on his own, and Zayn had closed his eyes in response to the intense feeling of his lips, but Harry had pulled away too soon. Zayn had been grinning so stupidly and then he felt his lips again and the swipe of what he thought was his tongue and he moaned, longing to open his mouth to let Harry probe his mouth. Zayn longed to kiss him again, but as he leaned forward to meet his lips again, he awakened when he had felt himself be moved. He didn't even want to get into how comfortable he felt laying on Harry's lap. He was still reeling from the confusion of his dream, that he hadn't even realized that he was in the younger lad's lap, until Harry winced in pain. Poor Harry. Zayn knew he was determined that he never get hurt like that again.

When Harry's mum arrived home from work, she agreed to take the boys to their homes. 

Niall called out, "You coming with us, Harry?"

"Nah. I'm gonna take a shower and stuff before bed."

"Aww," Niall pouted. "Ok, I'll see you in the morning then."

"Yeah," Harry waved a goodbye to Niall.

"I'll see you in the morning too, Rocky Marciano." 

Harry chuckled at hearing Zayn call him another boxer's name. The older lad was smiling widely at Harry and Harry had to remind himself to breathe. Luckily, he was able to keep his wits about him and responded, "Yeah tomorrow, Sid Vicious."

"The Sex Pistols, huh? Didn't take you for the kind to like their music."

"Well, I like a lot of different types of music."

"Great! We have more to talk about tomorrow then."

"Yeah." Harry tried so hard not to blush. Breathe Harry. Breathe. The words kept repeating in his head like his own personal mantra. 

Both lads waved their goodbyes and Harry headed straight for the shower, while everyone was out. As he stood under the shower's warm spray, he was lost in thoughts of tonight's events and all the moments he had shared with his crush. Honestly, how many people can say that they spent moments like theirs with their crush? Damn, he felt so lucky.

His cell phone, which was laying on the bathroom sink, beeped from an incoming message. Harry beamed with happiness once he opened the message and saw the picture Niall had taken of him with a sleeping Zayn on his lap. His eyes immediately fell on the older lad's lips, reliving the memory of his stolen kisses and Harry's body reacted with the arousal he felt from it. He knew he would have some time before his mum returned, so he made the quick decision to release the tension in his body with a quick wanking session.

He pulled the shower curtain enough to see the picture from where he stood, the warm water pelting his body and he coated his right hand with body wash and gripped onto his semi-hard erection. He gripped his length within his hand and stroked his length up and down. When he begun leaking precome, he used his thumb to swipe at the moisture from the tip and coated his length with the substance. Soon his hand stroked him quicker and he sloppily thrusted his hips into his fist and he came with a fierce intensity with Zayn's name falling from his lips. His left hand rested on the wall, supporting his weight until he floated back down from the high of his orgasm.

He texted Niall a thank you because he was extremely grateful for the picture and the wonderful orgasm that resulted from the sight of his crush.

Niall repiled that he hoped he didn't get any jizz on his phone. Harry blushed when he read the message, realizing Niall knew him too well. He didn't bother to respond.

Harry lay in his bed, not bothering to get dressed since he preferred to sleep naked.

When his mum returned, his lower body was covered in his bed sheet, and he was staring at Zayn's picture and grinning. "Hey baby. How was your first day back?" His mum asked, peeking her head into his room.

"Not bad," Harry sighed.

"Ok, what's wrong?" His mother asked, sitting on the edge of his bed and facing him.

"Actually. I wanted to talk to you about something..." Harry sat up in bed, making sure to keep his naked lower half covered. He inhaled a deep breath as he prepared himself to explain how he was feeling to his mum. His mum was a great listener and she never judged him on anything, so he knew he could always confide in her.


	9. Misguided Thoughts

"Ok baby, tell me what's wrong?"

Harry sighed again. "I just feel a bit down."

Anne, Harry's mum, brushed her hand down his cheek. "I don't like seeing you upset. What's wrong? You know you can tell me anything."

"I guess it's just everything. School, the attack, Zayn..." Harry stopped himself before he revealed too much.

"Well, I'm trying to do everything to make sure you never get attacked again, and the school assured me your safety. Now tell me about Zayn. Is he not helping you? Do we need to find someone else?"

"No, he's great actually." Harry sighed again, unable to keep the grin off his face and the fondness out of his voice.

"You like him that much, huh?" Anne immediately picked up on the issue troubling her son.

Harry knew he couldn't lie on that fact, but he would limit what he revealed to his mum; especially about the picture. He didn't want to risk his mum telling him to delete it. "I like him a lot."

"Do you think he might feel the same way about you?"

"No mum," Harry sighed again. "Unfortunately, he's straight. Like can-get-any-girl-he-wanted kind of straight."

"Aww, baby..." Anne pulled him in for a hug and rested her head atop his. "Crushes are never easy."

"I know it's hopeless, but it's like the more time I spend with him, the more I like him."

"Well, would you like me to talk to him?"

Harry gasped with the shock of her suggestion. "Don't you dare mum! Oh my god! I could just imagine you telling him 'Oh by the way my son has this huge crush on you... oh and did I mention he's gay... so yeah could you cool it with all your niceness so he doesn't fall even harder for you.' Ahh! That's so embarassing."

"Well, it could start off something like that, but I prefer 'Zayn, you know my wonderful, kind-hearted son. Well, he does happen to be gay and I would like to ask you about the possibility of you going out on a date with him just to make sure you wouldn't consider a romantic relationship with him.'"

His mum was all smiles after her little speech and Harry groaned, tossing himself back against his pillows. "Mum! That's even more embarrassing."

His mother laughed loudly and replied, "I'm just kidding. I won't say anything, honey, unless you want me to, ok."

"OK, mum. Thanks for the talk."

"It's no problem. That's what your mummy is here for." His mother caught on that Harry wanted to change the subject, so she asked, "Did your take your pain tablets?"

"Yeah, I did."

"Do you need anything to eat or drink before I turn in?"

"No mum, I'm good."

Anne carressed her son's forehead and said, "Ok, I'm going to grab a quick bite, then head to bed. These longer hours are killing me. Let me know if you need anything ok."

Anne prepared to stand up, but Harry stopped her. "Mum, I wanted to thank you for being so great with everything." Harry embraced his mother in a tight hug, careful about securing the bed sheet to not reveal his nakedness.

Anne grinned widely. She was absolutely touched at her son's appreciation, that she was almost at a loss for words. "Anytime baby." She felt herself tearing up, so she inhaled a deep breath and embraced her son tighter in the hug, while rubbing small circles on his back. "You know you and Gemma are my world and I would do anything for you both."

"I know, mum, thanks again. Love you."

"Love you, baby." Anne stood up and made her way to the doorway and after bidding him a goodnight and sweet dreams, she made her way to the kitchen, grinning the entire time at how happy her son had made her.

When his mother left, Harry turned onto his side, staring at Zayn's picture again. And as he stared, he couldn't help but think that his thoughts called out to Zayn because his phone beeped with the incoming message from him. Harry smiled even wider as he read the message.

To Harry: Thanks for your help tonight, Sugar Ray.

Harry didn't recognize the number, but he figured that the name referenced another boxer, so it didn't take him long to recognize it had come from Zayn.

From Harry: Anytime, Mick Jagger.

To Harry: Rolling Stones huh. Clever, Curly. U surprise me again :) x

From Harry: LOL ;)

To Harry: So I just wanted to check in & make sure I dont need to kick anyones arse b4 bed :) x

From Harry: Nope all good here. Howd u get my #?

To Harry: Louis Hope u dont mind. :) x

From Harry: Nope don't mind

From Harry: :) x

To Harry: ?

To Harry: Whats that 4?

From Harry: All ur msgs show that. Its cute :)

To Harry: Oh my sis had my phone earlier Didnt realize she did that sorry :) x

From Harry: No prob

To Harry: Goodnight Curly

From Harry: Good night Zayn. Sweet dreams. :)

Harry sighed as he held his phone to his chest, his fantasies taking him to a world where Zayn was his.

 

The following morning, Louis, Niall, and Harry arrived at school together as per their routine now. Harry reached out his hand to grab onto Niall's arm for support when he saw Zayn leaning against a wall at the front of the school, looking sexy as sin. To say he looked gorgeous was an understatement. He was wearing a striped t-shirt with blue jeans and black trainers, but his don't-give-me-any-shit gaze still screamed trouble. He was currently looking down at his phone, but when he looked up, Harry was mesmerized because rather than give him his infamous glare, he greeted him with a smile.

Louis waved a good morning to Zayn, but walked off, leaving the three boys to make their way to their classes. "You're late," Zayn teased.

"Yeah, well you're early," Harry teased back. He wasn't sure where his bravery came from, but when Zayn flashed him that heart-melting smile, he figured he'd just go with it.

"Just wanted to make sure I was on time for my duty, sir." Zayn gave a miitary-salute, causing Harry to laugh.

"Oh god, please tell me you're not going into the military."

"Heck no, Curly. I could never scar this face." Harry continued to laugh, while Zayn changed the subject. "You know if you grew your hair longer, you could pass off for a young Mick Jagger."

"Umm," Harry blushed at the comment. "Nah, I don't think so."

"I'm more of a bad-ass Keith Richards myself."

"Or maybe Ronnie Wood. He's bad-ass too."

"Yeah." Zayn then turned to Niall, who was quiet during their conversation. "What do you think Niall?"

Niall was quiet the entire time since people rarely wanted him to join in on a conversation, so he was shocked when he heard Zayn ask him a question. "W-what?" he asked.

"What do you think? Am I more of a Keith Richards or Ronnie Wood?"

Niall was still in shock from being asked to join in a conversation, that he shrugged his shoulders and said, "Dunno. I guess either one."

"So you're keeping neutral huh?" Zayn asked.

Niall laughed at his teasing remark. "No," he dragged the o out and laughed.

"That's fine. I see how it is. You just don't wanna pick a side. You know I'm right, but you don't wanna hurt Curly's feelings," Zayn continued teasing and both boys joined in on his laughter.

Luckily, Niall felt comfortable adding in comments during their conversation. Harry stared in awe at Zayn, realizing that he had just helped shy Niall become more outgoing himself. As he stared, Harry grinned widely and felt his heart beat a bit harder from this tender moment, causing him to fall more in love with the older lad. And as Harry watched Zayn walk away after they reached Harry's first classroom, he couldn't help the sigh that escaped his lips and the fondness that seeped from every pore of his body. He was grinning madly and chewing on his lower lip, when he was approached by a hand on his back and the sound of a female voice.

"Hey Harry. U ok there?"

Harry finally snapped out of his daze and smiled at Maggie. "Yeah."

"You seemed zoned out there."

"Sorry got lost in thought for a minute." Harry turned to walk towards the front of the classroom, where Maggie took the seat beside him, the same way as the day before.

"Hey, so how are you doing today?" she asked, the concern in her eyes as she stared at his fading bruises, that were already turning a pale yellow color as they were in the last phase of the healing process.

"I'm better, thanks for asking."

"So...umm, I wanted to ask you if I could come over and study with you tonight? You know since we have that big test tomorrow and I suck at History."

"Umm, sure. It's no problem."

"That's great!" Maggie was beaming with the happiness. "You're just so smart, Harry, and I know I can Ace it with your help."

Harry laughed at her statement. "Geez, you make me sound like a nerd. Just cause I know how to study doesn't mean I am one you know."

"You could've fooled me," Maggie teased, causing Harry to respond with a "Shut up" and rolled his eyes, playfully.

When classes were over, Zayn was leaning outside Harry's classroom, impatiently waiting for Harry to come join him. His arms were crossed in front of his chest and he glared at the pair in front of him. Zayn watched as Harry and the girl giggled with each other and for some odd reason, he felt anger boil inside of him. Zayn tried to shake away the feeling, but when Harry approached him ater waving goodbye to Maggie, Zayn said, "Damn. Took you long enough."

Harry replied, "Sorry. We were just talking."

Again Zayn's voice seethed with the anger he felt, "You ever gonna ask her out?"

Harry was a little taken aback from the tone of Zayn's voice, so he gave a half smile and replied, "I don't think so. Why do you ask?"

Zayn responded with a smile. "No reason. She just seems to really like you."

Harry blushed at the thought that he wanted to reply, But I really like you, but he replied instead, "You're funny."

As the day progressed, Zayn's mood seemed to have lightened an he carried on joking with Harry and they got to know each other more through their conversations. Harry even ventured to ask him about his art and he was in awe as he saw Zayn's eyes light up from his appreciation of art works. Harry congratulated him on his piece displayed in the school last year and this time Zayn blushed as he thanked him.

"It was a really great piece of art, Zayn," Harry remarked as classes ended and they waited in the front of the school for Niall to join them on their cab ride home. "Like, what inspired you to do it?"

"Well, it was from a dream I had. It was sort of some things from my childhood mixed in with some things I want for my future..." Zayn shrugged his shoulders, feeling nervous about explaining the personal aspect of his artwork. "...dunno really. It was just some personal stuff..."

Zayn's voice trailed off as he saw the same girl from Harry's first class approach them. "Harry!" she called out.

Harry turned towards her and grinned widely. "Hi, Maggie."

"Hey I talked with my mum and cleared it with her to study with you tonight."

"Great!" he replied.

"Do you mind if I ride with you? That way mum will only have to pick me up from your house?"

"Of course, it's no problem. We're just waiting on Niall...and there he is."

Niall ran towards the group. "Sorry I took so long. Had to go get a book I forgot in my locker."

"It's no problem. Maggie's gonna be joining us tonight."

Niall blushed at the sight of Maggie. He knew Maggie almost as long as Harry had, but he didn't know she would blossom into such a beautiful young lady. He felt attracted to the slim brunette, but he still managed to reply, "Hi, Maggie."

"Hi, Niall." Niall felt an overwhelming joy that she would be joining them and hoped that one day he could move from his awkwardness and try to ask her out on a date.

When introductions were made, Maggie and Zayn took an immediate dislike to each other. They both faked a smile at each other for Harry's sake, but the hate in their gazes was enough to kill. Zayn already having issues with how touchy-feely she was around Harry and Maggie disliking the bad boy reputation that Zayn had.

The hostility they felt towards each other got even worse when they were in Harry's house and they sat on either side of Harry, with the green eyed lad in the middle as they battled for his attention.

Zayn almost didn't come into the house at first because he felt uncomfortable around Maggie, but Niall was able to convince him, reminding him that needed help with the maths homework.

Now both he and Maggie were battling for Harry's attention and Harry was competely oblivious to what was happening. Zayn wasn't exactly sure why he was so mad over Maggie's little touches on his arm and the wide smiles she gave him, but he was fuming. So less than 30 minutes later of watching them, Zayn had enough and decided to leave, his math homework far from done.

"You're leaving?" Harry asked, a frown forming on his face, as he stood up from his seat and walked with Zayn towards the front door.

"Yeah, just gotta get home early tonight."

"At least stay until my mum comes home and she can drive you back." Harry was looking for any excuse to keep his crush there longer.

"Can't, but thanks. See ya tomorrow." An with that statement, Zayn gave a quick wave goodbye and was gone. Harry stood in the doorway for a moment, watching Zayn walk away, the sadness seeping into every pore of his body by his leaving.

Niall, being the great friend that he is, saw Harry's lost puppy expression and placed his arm around Harry, snapping him out of his daze to keep Maggie from discovering Harry's secret. "Hey, can you help me with this question?"

Harry nodded his head, grateful that Niall was his best friend. "Yeah."

After Maggie's mum picked up Maggie, she thanked Harry and said, "See ya tomorrow, Harry."

Harry walked her to the door, then returned to Niall and sighed as he flopped onto the couch. "Niall, I don't know what the bro code is on this, but I need a hug."

Niall embraced him in a comforting embrace immediately. "Don't worry about it, Hazza. You're like my brother, so don't worry about it." Niall rubbed his hand up and down his back, but his heart broke when he saw a few tears slide down his cheeks. "Oh, don't cry, Haz, or you'll make me cry."

Harry wiped awat the fallen tears with the back of his hand. "Sorry, Niall," he sniffled as he tried to stop the tears.

"Harry, maybe you should find someone other than Zayn to help you. I don't like seeing you sad like this."

"I know you're right, but I like spending time with him."

"I know, he's really a nice guy, but it's not worth you crying like this."

Harry groaned. "I don't understand why he left so early today."

Niall chuckled, responding, "Hey might've just had something to do. Don't worry about it. You'll see him again tomorrow."

Harry smiled at his words. "You're right, Niall." Harry squeezed him tighter in the hug. "Thanks."

 

Zayn was now in his home, drowning in the sounds of his sisters and parents voices. He was glad he got to walk home today because the quiet stroll gave him lots of time to think. It also gave him time to get his anger in check. He wondered why he felt such animosity towards Maggie, but he felt strongly about being justified in disliking her.

Zayn had barely touched his dinner, deciding to just shower and head straight to bed; even deciding to completely ignore all his homework. He would try to make it up later.

It didn't take long for him to fall asleep and the inevitable dream to follow. This dream was different though. This time, he and Harry were walking hand-in-hand down the school hallways smiling at each other, but Maggie had stopped them. Zayn was angry instantly as she smirked evilly at Zayn, then ran her hand up Harry's arm and walked off with him, enveloping his hand in her own. He was completely heart-broken watching the younger lad walk off without a backwards glance, but what followed was just as bad. Maggie had snapped her fingers and the jerks that were always beating on Harry in his nightmares, turned their wrath on him.

Zayn awoke with a start, his body drenched in sweat and his heart practically beating out of his chest. He scrubbed his hands over his face, realizing it was only 1am and he still had time to try to get a little more sleep. His body felt wound up and he couldn't keep his mind from straying to the beginning of his dream. He actually felt happy to be holding Harry's hand and then his mind flashed to the dream when he had kissed Harry and he smiled. Unfortunately, he didn't realize that in his sleepy state, his body had become aroused. He could feel his erection grow and he lifted up a corner of the bed sheet covering him to realize that he would have to wank it because he was way too hard for it to go down on its own.

He gripped his hard-on in his hand underneath his boxers and tugged, the intense feeling coursing through his entire being, delivering that tingly feeling that he associated with the upcoming orgasm. He told himself this was the reason he was having such intimate dreams about Harry; he was horny and needed someone to release with. He laughed at himself, realizing it wasn't gay thoughts at all, just misguided messages his body sent to his mind to let him know he needed to find a willing girl soon. He pictured Lottie, with her golden blond hair and her sweet smile, but as he felt close to releasing, Harry's dimpled smile and piercing green eyes flashed behind his closed eyelids and he spilt in his hand.

He fell asleep immediately after from the sated feeling after coming so hard in his hand and a huge grin on his face.


	10. Keeping His Distance

When Zayn awoke the following morning, he groaned, realizing he was in desperate need of a shower. He was drenched in sweat and had dried cum on his abdomen and inside his boxers. He scrubbed a hand down his face and looked at the clock, realizing he only had time to take the fastest shower of his life or else he would be late to school.

He stood up as quickly as he could in his sleepy state, grabbing a change of clothes, and made his way towards the nearest bathroom, hoping one of his sisters wasn't already in there. Luckily, when he got there, the coast was clear and he stripped his clothes, allowing the hot water to wash away his embarrassing evening.

It wasn't the fact that he had masturbated, he was after all a normal 17-year old with teenage hormones; it was the fact that he had come with Harry on his mind. His mind was definitely playing tricks on him and that just made him flat out angry with himself. He wanted to never have to experience something like that again... and he definitely was not going to admit to himself that he had experienced an orgasm powerful enough to render him unconscious afterwards since he was able to fall asleep right after.

He continued to think about his betraying dreams as he lathered his body with his shower gel. The warm water was running down his body, relaxing some of the tension, and his hands strayed to his length. He was getting turned on again and wanted nothing more than to relieve himself, until he heard a knock on the bathroom door.

"Zayn, I need to use the bathroom!" His youngest sister shouted as she banged on the door.

Zayn groaned out, "Gimme a minute!"

He rinsed any soap that was still on his body, shut off the shower and dried himself. He slipped on his t-shirt and boxers quickly as his sister continued to shout, "Hurry up!" at him. He absolutely hated only having 2 bathrooms for so many people in his house, but he still managed to smile at his little sister and patted her head as she raced in. "Took you long enough!"

"Love you too, Safaa."

"Whatever," she replied, rolling her eyes and locking the door behind her.

Zayn checked his clock again when he reached his bedroom, feeling nervous about being late. His mum wouldn't be able to take him to school because she had to tend to his two younger sisters and his dad was already at work, so when he picked up his phone, he hoped the person he dialed could give him a ride.

"Hey, Liam."

"Zayn? Hey man."

"Hey, so I needed to ask a favor."

"Sure, what's going on?" Liam yawned into the phone.

"Well, I'm gonna need a ride to school. I woke up late, so..."

Liam interrupted him, not needing him to explain, knowing that he would give Zayn the ride to school. Zayn was a good friend and they used to hangout so much, but that changed when Zayn pursued his art while Liam strayed more towards the school's football team. "Sure, mate. It's no problem. I'll be there soon."

When Liam arrived at his house, Zayn was awaiting him on the front porch of his home, fully dressed.

"Hey, thanks for the ride." Zayn greeted before he and Liam shared a friendly handshake with a fist-bump at the end.

"It's no prob, mate." Liam flashed him his usual friendly grin, which caused his eyes to shine from his happiness. "What happened to your ride?"

"Well...umm... I don't have a ride. Just been walking to school."

"That's bollocks, Zayn!" Liam shook his head and pulled the car into traffic as they began the trip to school. "I don't mind taking you everyday, if you want."

"That would actually be great, if it's no trouble."

"Of course, it's no trouble. Wouldn't want you to end up like that kid who got beat up... I don't know if you heard about him?"

"Actually, yeah." Zayn wasn't sure how to go about explaining that he had become Harry's bodyguard, so he instead asked, "So, do you know the kid?"

"Yeah, he's Louis friend. He was telling the coach about it the day after it happened. I always worried about Harry, since you know he's fruitier than a fruitcake."

Zayn forced a laugh, feeling upset that Liam had said such an offensive thing, but managed to ask in an even tone, "What'd ya mean by that?"

"It's just that I've always thought he might fancy boys, ya know. I once told Louis that Harry might fancy him cause he used to follow him around so much at school, like a lost puppy."

Zayn chuckled at that. "Nah, I don't think so. I've seen him flirt with girls." Zayn felt upset again as he thought about Harry with his clinging Maggie together.

Liam raised a questioning eyebrow at Zayn. "How do you know that? Do you know him?"

Zayn still didn't want to say anything about their arrangement, so instead he said, "Nah, we just share a few classes together."

"Well, even if that's true, I still think he has a soft spot for guys."

Zayn quickly changed the subject after that, no longer feeling comfortable hearing Liam speak negatively about Harry.

 

When he got to school, he felt uneasy. He spotted the trio consisting of Louis, Harry and Niall walk towards where he stood against the school wall, the same as the day before, but he felt different. He felt his heart race and his palms sweat as what could only be deemed as arousal, coursed through his body at the sight of Harry. The heat rose up his neck and he felt nervous, but he redirected all that into anger. Anger was an emotion he dealt with better than confusion.

He hated to admit that he even found the younger lad looking really attractive today, dressed in a simple t-shirt and jeans, but he was all smiles and dimples. That simple fact just seemed to anger him more. The dreams had taken their toll on his body and now he was feeling arousal over him, rather than the friendliness he should be feeling. Zayn scoffed at himself as he pushed himself off the wall and walked with a determined stride toward Louis. "I need to talk to you for a minute, Lou." His voice was seething with anger at this point, but he tried to temper it.

Louis just stared at Zayn like he was a strange creature and replied, "Sure, ok."

Harry and Niall stared at each other, wondering why Zayn seemed so mad today, and even more curious at why it seemed to be directed at Louis.

When the two were a hearing distance away from Harry and Niall, Zayn asked, "So what's going on with your sister? Is this date gonna happen or not?"

"Well I asked her that same day, Zayn." Louis felt nervous as he continued, but kept a straight face so Zayn wouldn't detect it. "She doesn't know you, so she doesn't feel comfortable going out on a date with you."

"That's bullshit, Louis! It was part of our deal!" Zayn was fuming now.

"Relax, man! Just give me some more time. I'll see what I can do."

"I want an answer by the end of the week, or the deal is off!" Zayn walked off after that, making his way to a gawking Harry and Niall, who both had their mouths open in shock at the sight they had just witnessed. They had no idea what was said, but both Louis and Zayn had walked away looking very pissed-off. Zayn had made the empty threat just to get his point across, but he liked Harry too much at this point, to ever walk away from this now. He owed it to himself to never let Harry get hurt like that again.

"Ready?" Zayn questioned Harry, the angry tone still present.

"Wh-what was that about?" Harry ventured to ask.

"It's nothing! Just clearing up some things with ol' Lou."

Harry was quiet after that, not saying much to Zayn or even Niall. Niall must have felt the same way because he was just as quiet. "See ya later, Nialler." Harry called out once he reached his classroom.

"See ya later, Hazza!" Niall called back.

Harry turned to say bye to Zayn, but he had already disappeared, heading for his classroom. Zayn's anger was already dissipating as he walked away, recalling the story of how Harry had gotten his nickname Hazza and how he had thrown up on Stacy.

After Zayn reached his classroom and sat in his seat, he pulled out his sketch pad and hid it in his textbook, so it would look like he was following along in the lesson. He began to sketch, not really knowing what he was going to draw, but he began the same as always. A line here, a swirl of a line there, a bit of shading and soon a face appeared in his sketch pad. What freaked him out the most, is that it was Harry's face, complete with dimples, curly hair, soft-looking lips, and sparkling eyes. The eyes of his art piece even had that penetrating gaze Harry would sometimes focus on him with, when he was really concentrated on what he was saying.

Zayn's heart started beating faster and his palms felt all sweaty after he realized what he had done. He felt so damn embarrassed as he scrubbed his hands on his jeans, working on drying some of the moisture that had gathered there. He closed his sketchbook, angry at himself again that he had drawn the younger lad. Why didn't he draw Lottie? He was attracted to her after all, wasn't he? Zayn just brushed it off as maybe he hadn't drawn her because it was a while since he'd last seen her, and Harry's features were more engrained in his memory from spending so much time together lately.

When the class was dismissed, Zayn made his way to Harry, feeling so nervous that Harry would find out what he'd done. He wasn't planning on showing him the drawing, but he worried that the guilt would be written all over his face. However, all of those worries vanished when he saw Harry and Maggie together.

She had her arms around him in a hug, her head resting on his chest and Harry was hugging her back. When it was over, she still had one arm around him, while she cupped his cheek with her other hand and they both grinned at each other. Zayn fought against the urge he felt of running up to them and pushing Maggie off of him. Damn, why was he feeling this way?

When Harry looked up and noticed Zayn standing in the doorway, the scowl on his face let Harry now that Zayn was still pissed off. Harry waved a goodbye at Maggie as he nervously made his way to Zayn.

"Damn, were you two about to f.uck in there?" Zayn's tone seethed with anger again.

Harry ran his fingers through his curls, before responding, "No...of course not. We're in school, Zayn."

"It sure looked like it."

Harry was now chewing on his lower lip, causing his dimples to sink into his cheeks. "She was only thanking me for helping her with the test today. She thinks she might have passed it..."

"Well, that's great. Here's your class. Bye." Zayn was quick to cut him off. He hated coming off as rude as he did, but he needed to get away from the younger lad. His hormones were betraying him again and he needed to get himself sorted right away. He needed to find a way to not think of how cute Harry's dimples looked in his cheeks or how he wondered what it would be like to tug on his lips with his teeth. Zayn smirked as he reached his classroom and took his seat. Something was definitely wrong with him. All he knew was that he definitely needed to catch up on his lost sleep.

At lunch time, Zayn almost lost it. Harry was eating his sandwich and crisps, but he licked his lips a lot, like more than Zayn was comfortable with. Had he always licked his lips that often, or was he just noticing now that he was suffering from his misdirected feelings?

He got up from the table, leaving Harry and Niall there, and went to his smoking spot by the dumpsters. He massaged his temples from a headache he felt coming on and smoked his cigarette until the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. Zayn decided then that he would just distance himself from Harry until he could straighten out his feelings. He was spending way too much time with him, so that's all that was wrong.

So Zayn did just that. He sat in his normal seat in the back of their shared math class and Zayn redirected his attention during their shared study hall. He even put extra effort to not focus on how Harry's slight touches would raise his body temperature. So whenever he thought Harry would accidentally touch him, he would move out of the way.

When school ended and the three boys headed out to the cab for their ride home, Zayn made sure not to touch Harry in any way. Harry sat in between Zayn and Niall, per his usual manner, and Zayn prided himself for not touching the younger lad in any manner. He pretended that he hadn't even noticed the sad expression on Harry's face when he turned down his invitation to hangout in his home.

Unfortunately, when he got to bed that night, Harry was still on his mind. His sparkle in his eyes fom his laughter, his dimpled-smile that could brighten anyone's day and Zayn didn't even try to fight it when he stroked his length with the younger lad on his mind. Luckily, in the privacy of his own room, he could masturbate to the green-eyed lad with no judgement from anyone.

So when he coated his hand with the warm spurts of his cum and Harry's name spilled from his lips, he knew he was in trouble. Ok, so maybe he had a homosexual fantasy of the younger boy, but he would keep his distance so no one would find out.


	11. The Problem With Distance

The following morning, Liam had kept his promise and was at Zayn's home to pick him up for school.

"Thanks again, mate," Zayn greeted Liam with their usual hand shake with the fist bump at the end, after he seated himself on the passenger side of Liam's car.

"It's no problem. How you doing today?" Liam's eyes always had that sparkle to them and his cheeks had a little dip to them, but they were nothing like Harry's dimples...Harry. Zayn shook the thoughts out of his head. It was definitely too early in the morning to be thinking about him. The way he blushed when he teased him or the green of his eyes, so unique that he doubted he could match their color with any of the oils, watercolors or pastels he owned. Definitely way too early for that.

"I'm good. Finally got some sleep yesterday." Zayn wasn't going to admit to anyone how fast he was able to knock out once he had come all over himself. Last night's orgasm was so bad that he had to change his sheets this morning and hide his used ones as far down to the bottom of the hamper as possible, and hoped his mother wouldn't see the mess he made on them when she did the laundry.

"That's good. Been having trouble sleeping?" Liam asked, his eyebrows raised as he stared at Zayn.

"I was for a while. I think it'll be better now."

"Why's that?"

"I'd just been having some things on my mind." Zayn just shrugged his shoulders, hoping that would be a satisfactory enough answer.

"Like what kind of stuff? Maybe I could help."

Damn, Zayn had to think quickly. Liam was definitely not going to let the subject go, so Zayn just replied, "School work and stuff..." Zayn also went for a change of subject and asked, "So how's practice going?"

Liam's eyes lit up then. "You should definitely come to one of our practices. We've gotten so much better and, of course, Louis kicks arse every single time. Come watch after school today."

Zayn thought it over, but knew he had to decline since he had the responsibility of making sure Harry and Niall made it home safely. "I can't tonight, but I will next time."

"Aww," Liam pouted. "It would've been nice having you cheer me on."

"F.uck that, Liam. I'm an art geek, not a damn cheerleader."

"You sure? I bet you would look hot dressed up in one of those tight shirts and short skirts," Liam teased.

"Fuck off, Li! I'm not a damn queer." Zayn bumped his shoulder, in a playful manner, in an attempt to shut him up. Zayn had no hate in his heart for homosexuals, but he could still hear the bullies chanting, "Queer...fag...bender...homo!" He pushed the memories far into the recesses of his mind, not wanting to relive that time. No one at this new school knew about that part of his life and he meant to keep it that way.

Once at school, Zayn and Liam separated their ways and Zayn walked towards his usual spot in front of the school, awaiting Harry.

Zayn waited and waited until the bell rang. That was odd. Where were the lads? Did Harry miss school today? Was he ok? His mind began wandering with too many questions. He walked into the school and headed towards Harry's classroom, wondering if he was there. When he looked into the room, he did see Harry, but Harry didn't see Zayn, since his back was facing him. He was sitting in his seat and whispering to ol' Maggie, which set Zayn ablaze with anger again.

He slammed his closed fist against the nearest wall and headed towards his classroom, making it just in time before the final bell rang. This time when he drew in his sketchpad, it was Harry's face again, but now he wore a evil smirk on his face. This is how he felt Harry would look right now, his facial features cruel looking. He had ditched Zayn to go be with Maggie. He wasn't sure why that bothered him so much since Zayn was keeping his distance himself, but it did.

When the class was over, Zayn walked back to Harry's class and peered in. Again, Maggie was all over Harry, touching his arm and giggling and Zayn kept on walking. He made it about three steps, just as Harry looked up, seeing him and calling out, "Wait up, Zayn!"

Zayn tried to act like he didn't hear him, but the sounds of Harry's footsteps walking at a fast pace had him turn around. "Hey," he replied noncommittally.

"Where you going?" Harry asked, eyeing him curiously.

"You know to class." He was a bit sarcastic with his reply, but his confused emotions were bugging him, so he really couldn't help it.

"Without me?" Harry looked so downtrodden as he asked Zayn the question.

"Well...umm... you looked busy."

"Psh! I wasn't. I was just talking to Maggie until you got there."

Next was the question that was on his mind. "Where were you this morning?"

Harry smiled and replied, "We got here a little bit early this morning cause Louis had to meet up with the coach. He walked us to our classes."

"You should have texted me."

"I'm sorry..." Harry ran his fingers through his hair, nervously, his hands wringing again.

"I was waiting in the front for you."

"I'm so sorry," Harry repeated again. "I didn't think about that. I figured you would stop by or something and see me."

Zayn felt a little relieved that it wasn't because he was being avoided, it was just a careless mistake, so he toned down his anger, his voice a bit gentler now. "Next time say something. What if I didn't pass by? I wouldn't have know you were here."

Harry's heart skipped a beat as he stared at his crush. He sounded so sincere, so Harry nodded, his mouth drying in reaction to the pleading tone in Zayn's voice. "I will."

"Ok, now that that's all cleared up." Zayn threw his arm across Harry's shoulders and smiled as they continued walking. "Let's go."

When they both reached their classes, they had the same thought running through their minds. Why did it feel so right to hold/ and be held by the other?

Harry was all grins since he had his crush's arm around him and he was close enough to drown in the scent that was all Zayn, manly yet sweet.

Zayn, however, was more confused than ever. His heart had beat faster and he felt nervous when he touched the younger lad. He definitely ignored the fact that his arm felt a bit tingly where it had touched Harry. Then there was Harry's scent. It was a blend of fruits and a hint of a soft cologne, but unmistakenly Harry. His mind wandered again and before he knew it, class was over and he got up to meet with Harry.

Harry was all smiles and bashful blushes around Zayn since he was hoping that the older lad would throw his arm around his shoulders like before, or at least touch him in some way, but it never happened. In fact, it was the exact opposite. Zayn had become more distant than before, but Harry didn't realize that Zayn was wrestling with his inner emotions of how he was starting to feel towards the younger lad.

After school was done, Zayn again declined hanging out with Harry in his home and Harry tried to disguise the pain he felt at watching the dark-haired boy walk away.

Zayn head straight for his home. He was getting better at disguising his feelings as he acted like nothing was out of the ordinary, moving through his life as usual, except for the nights. That night, he drew in his sketch pad. All the drawings involved Harry in some way. His hands, his smile, the stray curls that would fall over his eyes if a breeze blew them at just the right spot. When he drew his lips, and the way his teeth would pinch the pink flesh between them, Zayn couldn't control his desire anymore.

He locked his bedroom door to make sure that neither his sisters or his parents would walk in and made his way back to his bed. He tugged down his boxers and lubed up his right hand with lotion, as he prepared for his wanking session with his thoughts of Harry. Things he'd said that day or smiles or blushes he gave him. Harry with his kind heart and funny sense of humor. Harry, the one who he had just come to. His body feeling relaxed, yet he felt guilty at the same time. Why was he feeling that way? He was so confused about it all, that he wanted to cry and it was a while before he finally fell asleep.

Harry, on the other hand, felt so tremendously happy as he wanked his own erection to thoughts of Zayn. The tongue-behind-his-teeth smiles he graced him with, the protectiveness he always showed around him and his laughter. God his happy sounds were enough to make him come instantly. So as he stared at Zayn's picture in his phone , he coated his right hand with his arousal and whispered, "I love you Zayn, more than you'll ever know."

 

The following morning, Liam picked up Zayn again for school. As soon as Zayn got in the car, Liam asked, "What are your plans tonight?"

Zayn shrugged his shoulders, replying, "Nothing really."

"Well, great. Come to our practice after school."

"I don't know, Liam. I'm not sure if I can." Zayn's thoughts strayed to Harry.

"Aww, come on, Zayn. What else do you have to do that you can't come to watch our practice?"

Zayn again thought of Harry and Niall and their arrangement that required him to make sure that they made it home safely, but he didn't dare reveal that to Liam. He wasn't sure if Louis might have said something to Liam, but he never mentioned it, so he figured their secret was safe. "Umm... nothing much, but I'll think about it ok."

Liam faced him and replied, "Come on, mate. You said yesterday 'Next time I will.' You have to keep your promise." Liam grasped his shoulder, shaking him. "Say yes. Come on Zayn! It'll be fun... I promise... please!"

Zayn laughed at his best friend, knowing he was going to give in, if not to have an eventful evening, but to at least get him to shut up. "Ok...ok. You can stop now. I'll stop by for a bit, but I'm not sure I can stay long."

"Great! It'll be fun...promise."

When Zayn got to school, Harry and Niall were standing in the front entrance, waiting for Zayn's arrival. Liam had parted ways with Zayn, so there as no need to worry about him. The dark haired lad viewed Niall first since his back was facing him as he stood in front of Harry, enveloped in their conversation. When Harry and Zayn's eyes met, time seemed to slow down for both of them. Harry was grinning widely, but Zayn kept a serious expression on his face, not wanting to reveal any of his confused feelings. However, as he approached the younger lad, he couldn't help but allow the corners of his mouth to curve upwards as a small smile invaded his facial expression.

"We waited this time," Harry greeted as soon as Zayn reached them.

"Umm...yeah, thanks." Zayn brushed his hand across the back of his neck, feeling a bit flustered at the sound of Harry's raspy voice.

They headed towards their class, Zayn mulling over how he was going to explain to Harry that he would stay behind after school. He was quiet during their walks to Harry's classes and he disappeared during lunch again, and smelled like heavy cigarette smoke when he entered their shared math class. He even disappeared from their shared study hall for almost a half hour and Harry was starting to worry about what was going on.

However, Harry had no clue that Zayn had gotten such a boner watching Harry chew on his pen top and constantly lick his lips as he worked on his assignment. At this point, Zayn knew he had a problem when he lost his self-control. He had to wank on his hardened member and he had to bite on his closed fist to stifle his groan from the orgasm that turned his bones to jelly. The older lad was now hating on himself from how his body was being affected so intensely from all this.

When school ended, Zayn couldn't stall any longer. "So...umm Harry... I'm not gonna be able to ride with you today." Zayn felt so nervous as what he was actually going to say. Somehow, he felt that telling him that blowing off his safety for some football practice would not sit well with the green-eyed lad.

Harry's eyes immediately filled with hurt and he asked, "Why not?"

Zayn hated lying, but it was Friday and watching his friend practice seemed a better way to spend his evening, rather than be home. "I'm staying to work on an art project." Zayn's guilt over the lie immediately made him feel so ashamed that he was lying to Harry.

Harry knew Zayn's true passion over his art, so he nodded, "Sure." Harry was horrible at disguising his feelings, so his hurt was immediately evident in his voice.

"I'm sorry, Curly. Will you be ok to make it home?"

Niall responded this time, trying to give Harry a moment because he knew his best friend well enough to know he was close to tears already. "It shouldn't be a problem. We've got the cab to drop us off at his house. Thanks, have fun." Niall waved a quick goodbye as he and Harry made their way into the cab.

"Ok, bye," Zayn called out, hoping that Harry would say something, a goodbye or something, but Harry got in the cab without a second glance at him. Zayn didn't know why that hurt him so bad, but it did. At least, he could be certain that Harry wasn't dealing with any confused feelings like Zayn was because he didn't bother to at least say goodbye. Zayn wasn't sure why he felt a pang in his chest and he felt saddened by that fact as he walked to the football field to meet up with Liam.

However, unbeknownst to Zayn, Harry had broken down into tears as soon as the cab door shut behind them. "Shh, Hazza. Don't cry. Please don't cry," Niall soothed, wrapping him in an embrace and rubbed his back.

Harry's tears continued to stream down his face and his body was shaking from thei force. "He hates me, Niall." Harry sniffled as the fact tore his heart apart.

"He doesn't hate you. He said he has a project to work on."

"He hates me. I know he does. He doesn't even want to ride with us... and he doesn't sit with us at lunch anymore." Harry swiped at his tears with his sleeves. "He won't sit near us at math and he's even been disappearing during study hall."

"Aww, Hazza, I don't really know what to say. You know he's a loner. He didn't get his bad boy reputation by being as nice as you. I wouldn't worry too much about it."

"It's not fair! Why do I have to like someone who'll never like me back?"

"Harry, I hate to say this, but maybe ya should find someone else to help you." Harry responded with a look of shock, his eyes widening and his mouth gaping open. "I know ya don't want to, but think about it. I hate to see you so torn up like this."

And that's what Harry did...he thought. All through the cab ride and all through his evening of hanging out with Niall, he thought it over. Maybe Zayn was getting tired of helping him and his distancing was his way of letting him know. Harry sat there, the famous words of 'If you love something, let it go' roaming through his mind.

Zayn on the other hand, was having a great time hanging out with Liam and meeting a bunch of his footie friends. He even cheered for his friend when he made a couple of good plays. The best part was when he spotted Lottie with a few of her girl friends sitting near him.

"Is that Louis' sister?" Zayn asked Liam when practice was over and Liam made his way over to Zayn, but he already knew the answer. He had been, after all, trying to go on a date with her.

"Yeah, Lottie comes to some of the games sometimes. So hey we're heading to go get food in a bit. You should come."

"I don't know." Zayn wasn't sure how much money he had in his wallet at the moment, but he doubted it was enough to cover an entire meal.

"Aww, come on. My treat... as a thank you for coming out today." Liam grinned madly at him as he knew he wasn't going to let up until Zayn agreed.

Zayn knew Liam wouldn't give up either so he replied, "Fine, but I'll pay you back."

"Fine," Liam agreed, but he knew he wouldn't take Zayn's money.

Once at the diner, Zayn and Liam sat at a table with a few of the team members while Louis sat at a table with Lottie and a couple of her friends. Louis spotted Zayn almost instantly and Zayn greeted him with a slight wave of his hand. Louis, in return, returned with a scowl on his face, but still gave a slight wave back.

However, not too long after the began eating, Louis wondered about Harry's safety. If Zayn was at practice and was now at the diner with them, then how did he make sure Harry made it home safely. So Louis sent a text to Harry.

From Louis: Hey Harry. R u home?

To Louis: Yeah

From Louis: I had a ?

To Louis: Ok what is it?

From Louis: Did Zayn take you home today?

Harry was slower with the response as he felt a new set of tears come on, but answered about a minute later.

To Louis: Why do u ask?

From Louis: Cause he's been here at practice

Harry really let the tear flood gates open at that moment as the truth hit him. Zayn had blown him off and even lied about where he would be.

To Louis: Yeah.

That's all Harry could message back as his felt his heart breaking. It literally felt like Zayn ripped it out of his chest and stomped on it. Harry didn't say anything to Niall, but he did manage to escape to the bathroom to clean off his face before Niall noticed how torn up he was at the moment. When he returned to the living room, he thought about what he would say to Zayn, but he knew for the sake of his own sanity, he would have to end their arrangement.

So after Niall's mum picked up, Harry sent Zayn the text.

From Harry: Thanks for your help. You don't have to worry about helping me anymore.

Zayn eyed the message curiously, responding almost immediately.

To Harry: What Why ??

From Harry: Sorry to be a burden. Thanks again. Bye.

To Harry: What u mean Curly

To Harry: U gonna answer me

To Harry: Hello u there

Harry turned his volume of his phone down, so he wouldn't have to feel more broken reading whatever Zayn decided to reply to him. He was certain that it was nothing good.

Zayn now was so confused. Harry didn't want his help anymore? A thousand questions floated through his head. The main one was if he found out about the agreement he made with Louis for the date with his sister, but since he couldn't confront Louis in such a public place and Harry was ignoring his texts, he turned to Liam and said, "Li, I have an emergency."

"What's going on?" Liam set concerned eyes on him.

"A friend. I gotta go." Zayn stood up and began walking and Liam followed right after him.

"Zayn, is everything ok?"

"I don't know. I just gotta go."

"Let me give you a ride."

"It's ok. I can walk. Don't wanna ruin your night."

"Psh! That's nonsense. It's getting late and you look a nervous wreck. I'll drive you." Liam was persistent and Zayn wanted to make sure the younger lad was ok, so he agreed. Zayn was nervous about being taken to Harry's home, so he had Liam drop him off at a house that was two blocks away from Harry's.

He knocked on the door after he reached his home.

Harry, who had been engrossed in his own pity party, groaned when he heard someone at the door. His mum was due home any minute and he wondered if she forgot her keys. He ran up to the door, but felt his heart drop to his feet at the sight of Zayn through his peephole. Oh shit! What was he doing here?

Harry nervously wrung his hands and wiped at his eyes, making sure to clear all the evidence of his tears, and opened the door.

Zayn held up his cell phone at Harry as he entered. "You wanna explain this to me?" Zayn's angry tone worried Harry, but as Zayn saw his condition, his tone softened and he asked, "Are you crying?"

Harry was horrible at lying, so he replied, "No," as he looked away.

"Don't f.ucking lie to me. Why are you crying? Did you get hurt?"

Harry fought against his urge to reply that he had his heart broken by him, but just managed to shake his head no. "I'm not crying." Harry couldn't find against the fresh set of tears already pooling at his eyes.

Zayn couldn't battle against his wanting to keep his distance from Harry anymore. He wrapped his arms around the younger lad in a hug and cooed at him, "It's ok. Tell me what's wrong."

Harry felt intoxicated by the heat of Zayn's body and the scent of his cologne. He closed his eyes and smiled, wanting to engrave this memory in his mind forever. "Why have you been avoiding me?" Harry couldn't contain his curiosity anymore.

"What? I haven't." Zayn didn't realize that Harry had noticed his distance.

"Yeah you have."

"I'm sorry. I've just been dealing with some stuff. Didn't mean to make you feel like I was avoiding you." Zayn's voice thickened as his eyes filled with tears also.

"Are you crying?" Harry lifted his head up a bit where it rested on Zayn's chest to stare at the older boy.

Zayn wasn't going to even try to deny it as he felt his own tears slide down his cheeks. "I hate that I upset you. I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry," Harry replied. "I just miss you. I miss hanging out like before and hearing you call me all those nicknames..."

"OK, Mayweather. I can do that again," Zayn smiled.

"I'm assuming that's another boxer," Harry chuckled, causing Zayn to smile wider as he felt him shake against his body from the laughter.

"Yeah it is. Anything else?"

Harry wanted to admit his feelings, but his fear held him back. "Yeah, why did you lie to me?"

Zayn was shocked. "About what?"

"Tonight. I know you were at practice and not doing a project."

"How'd you find out?" It clicked immediately. "Louis told you."

"He was checking on me, to make sure I made it home ok."

"He's an arsehole. What did he say?" Zayn questioned him, worried he revealed their agreement.

"Only that he saw you, so he wanted to make sure I was ok."

Zayn's body released its tension. "I'm sorry I lied. I just didn't know how to tell you that Liam wanted to hang out."

Harry pushed himself out of his embrace. "Why couldn't you tell me?" Harry looked him directly in the eyes.

Zayn felt himself drown in his green depths. "I don't know. I felt like an arse for not going with you and little Irish."

"Well, I would've been ok if you told me the truth." Harry spoke the words, but he honestly didn't know if he was being completely truthful of his words.

Zayn started feeling drained and wobbled on his feet. He eyed the couch and sat down, grabbing onto Harry's hand and led him to sit beside him. "I don't feel so great," Zayn admitted. "I think this loss of sleep is finally getting to me."

Zayn lay his head back against the cushion, but Harry stopped him. "You can take a nap in my bed." Harry blushed as he realized what he'd just said. "I mean, you can go to my room. You don't wanna lay your head where other people's arses have been, do ya?"

Zayn chuckled in response. "You have a point there."

Harry grasped his hand again and led him up the stairs and to his room. "Do you need to call your mum to let her know where you are?"

"Nah. I texted her earlier and said I was hanging out with friends tonight."

Harry grinned at him, hoping he was included in that friends category. "Ok, do you need anything before you sleep?"

"Actually yeah." Zayn was already unbuttoning his jeans and sliding them down and revealed his boxer shorts. Harry blushed at the sight, but tried to keep his composure. "Do you have a shirt I can borrow?"

"Yeah." Harry pulled a white t-shirt from his dresser and walked over to Zayn with it.

"Umm, thanks." Before Harry could walk away, Zayn said, "Wait."

Harry stopped in his tracks and faced him. Zayn's eyes landed on Harry's lips and his mind began screaming, 'Kiss him! Kiss him!' Harry's eyes also landed on Zayn's lips as his mind chanted, 'Kiss me! Kiss me! Please just kiss me!' Zayn kissed Harry's forehead instead. Both boys were too nervous to act on their feelings.

"Thanks for everything Harry."

Harry wanted to melt at the sound of his name, heavily coated in that Bradford accent of Zayn's and replied, "Anytime."

Harry went back downstairs and poured himself a glass of water, smiling the entire time. His crush was asleep in his room, wearing nothing but his t-shirt and boxers. Could this day get any better?

 

Later that night, Harry shook Zayn, trying to wake him up. "Zayn...Zayn?"

"Hmm?" Zayn mumbled in his sleep.

"Mum's home. Do you want her to give you a ride home?"

Zayn shook his head no. "Come to bed." Zayn reached his arms out and pulled Harry down to lay his head on his chest.

Harry softly chuckled at the awkward position he was now in. He was now leaning over Zayn trying to keep his weight off him, but his head was angled to lay on his chest. "Ok, let me tell mum you're staying the night then."

"Ok."

After Harry cleared it with his mum about Zayn spending the night, claiming that they were gonna have a sleepover, but he forgot to tell her, Harry returned and slid into bed, wearing his boxer shorts and nothing else. He preferred to sleep in the nude, but kept his boxers on to not scare Zayn away. He faced his back towards Zayn, not wanting to face him so he wouldn't have to worry about what he might do to him.

However, Zayn felt the dip in the bed and immediately wrapped his arms around his back. Harry tensed up at first, worried that Zayn didn't realize who he was holding, but relaxed when he heard Zayn say, "Mmm, Curly."

Harry beamed with happiness again before he drifted off into sleep, praying this night would never end.


	12. Why Harry Moved

Harry felt a set of arms tighten their hold against his waist as he was pulled closer to a body below him. It took him a minute to realize that he was sprawled on top of someone and one of his arms was thrown across his neck. Oh my god! He was sprawled all over Zayn.

Harry tried to shift his weight off of Zayn, but was scared of waking him up. How was he going to explain the current position he was in, laying on top of him?

He attempted to lift his upper body, but Zayn pulled him closer to him and tightened his grip. Harry grinned widely as he felt the older lad nuzzle his face into his curls and kissed the back of his neck. Harry froze then, wondering if Zayn was awake now, but his continued even breathing reassured him he was still asleep.

However, he soon felt Zayn's morning erection brushing the crevice of his inner thighs and Harry could no longer control his impulses. He rubbed his inner thighs together to feel the hardness of his length rub against him. He bit his bottom lip and closed his eyes to soak in the pleasurable feeling. Soon he lifted his backside a bit and pressed it fully against his erection. He began rubbing his rear against Zayn's front, knowing that he could no longer fight it. This is how he had fantasized being with his crush, being held against his body as Harry rode him.

Soon after he began, Zayn's breathing grew heavier and he was rubbing himself harder against the green-eyed lad's backside. Zayn's hands gripped onto his hips, stilling them with his hands, as he rubbed himself harder into the soft flesh of his buttcheeks. Zayn was moaning softly into the back of his neck and Harry knew he was going to hell for taking advantage of the older lad while he was sleeping, but all he could think of was 'bring on the handbasket.'

Zayn continued to brush his erection against him and Harry met his every thrust, fighting against his urge to put his hand down his boxers and fist his own erection. His hips thrusted harder and he held him tight until he came, biting the back of Harry's neck in turn. Harry moaned loudly at the feel of his teeth giving him the lovebite and his body immediately felt tingly and his skin raised with goosebumps.

Zayn's eyes shot wide open as he felt the warm cum drip down into his boxers and he heard the sound of the moan. He felt disoriented as his arms loosened their grip on Harry and he shot up in bed, pushing Harry off of him in turn. "What the f uck?" Zayn asked, the tone of his voice accusatory.

Ok, Harry, time to win an Oscar for your best performance ever. "What's the matter, Zayn?" Harry rubbed his eyes as if wiping the sleep out of them, stretching his arms and yawning, trying to act as if he wasn't awake the whole time.

Zayn looked confused and upset and a mix of another emotion that looked like fear. "What just happened?" Zayn could feel the stickiness of his cum already making his balls stick to his thigh. God, he hated that sticky feeling.

"What do you mean?" Harry continued with his act, hoping it would work and he wouldn't send Zayn screaming for the hills. "Were you dreaming?"

Zayn rubbed a hand down his face. "You didn't feel anything?"

Harry stared at him curiously and responded, "No, I was sleeping."

Zayn finally allowed a nervous smile to spread across his face. "I think I was dreaming." Zayn's voice, heavily coated with the relief he felt that Harry didn't realize that Zayn must have dry-humped him in his sleep and now was soaked in the after effects of the orgasm.

"Wanna tell me what your dream was about?"

Zayn hesitated on how to reply. There was no way that he would reveal that he had just come to the feel of Harry's body on his erection. "It was a strange dream. It scared me a little is all."

Harry felt saddened that Zayn was referring to his fear of cumming with Harry on him, so he stared at his hands, wringing them nervously again. Harry nodded, speaking lowly, "Ok."

"Hey," Zayn pressed his index finger under his chin, forcing Harry to look up at him. "Are you ok?" He prayed that Harry wouldn't be the one pushing him away now that Zayn had crossed the line with him by fondling him in his sleep.

Harry's dimples sunk into his cheeks as he smiled at Zayn's sweetness. "Yeah, I'm ok."

"Good." Zayn stared at the younger lad's lips, battling with the urge to place a kiss on them. He then remebered the mess currently in his shorts and asked, "Do you mind if I take a shower and borrow some clothes?"

"Of course you can." Harry stood up and walked to his dresser, using one hand to shield his erection from Zayn's sight as he picked out a t-shirt and boxers and grabbed some jeans from his closet. Then he handed them to Zayn and crossed his arms in front of him to cover it up.

Once Harry showed him which bathroom he could take his shower in, Zayn gave his thanks again and Harry went back into the bedroom. He knew he would have a few minutes alone to himself, so he threw himself onto the bed and snuggled into the pillows Zayn had used for the night, inhaling his scent and grinning madly. He kept an eye on the door, hoping neither his mum or Zayn walked in and made quick work of wanking himself before his alone time was disturbed.

After he spilled into his hand, he made quick work of wiping off his cum and groaned realizing most of it had spilled into his boxers and he would have to take a shower himself now too.

He then set off in search of his mum and found her making breeakfast in the kitchen. "Morning mum," he called out once he saw her and took a seat at the kitchen's counter.

"Morning, honey. How'd you sleep?"

Harry grinned madly, recalling that he had a better morning than he'd ever had in his life. "Really good."

Anne eyed her son, hearing the tremendous happiness in the tone of his voice. "That good, huh? Where's Zayn?"

Harry tried to minimize the smile on his face and replied, "He's taking a shower."

"Oh." Anne smiled, teasingly. "And what happened?"

Harry blushed at what his mum was insinuating. "God! Nothing!" He was laughing now. "I wouldn't dare try to do anything."

"Hmph!" Anne teased some more. "You know I almost made you move from the bed, not sure if you should be sleeping with your crush."

"Geez, mum! Lower your voice. He might be out any second and I didn't sleep with him like that. We just shared the bed."

"That's the only reason I allowed it. You assured me he was straight, so I didn't have to worry about any funny business."

Harry blushed at the memory of their dry humping session, but managed to reply as earnestly as possible, "Yeah, you won't have to worry about that. I'm really not his type at all." Harry tried not to think about that part of his dilemma, since he didn't want to feel sad today. He didn't want anything to mar the wonderful morning he was having already.

Harry wanted to say more to reassure his mother, but the sound of Zayn's voice interrupted his thoughts. "That smells wonderful!"

Anne smiled at the older lad. "Thank you. I hope you don't mind eggs, bacon, toast and juice."

"Umm...actually..." Zayn began, but was interrupted by Harry.

"He can't eat anything pork, mum, cause of his religion."

"Yeah..." Zayn grinned at Harry, "...that's right, Curly. You remembered."

"Of course. You never wanted it on your pizza. It wasn't so long ago you told me," Harry teased.

"Oh, what religion is that?" Anne asked.

Zayn hesitated for a moment before responding, "Umm... Muslim." Zayn always worried over how people would react to knowing his about his religion. Some people feared that he was associated with terrorist extremists, but that was far from the belief he held, focused on the good of his religion of prayer and helping people.

"That's great. I don't know much about that religion. Wanna tell me about it?" Zayn nodded as Anne set a plate in front of him with the breakfast food, minus the bacon.

"Ok, well I'm going to take a shower," Harry stated, receiving a smile and a nod from Zayn.

Anne replied, "Ok, you're breakfast will be ready when you come out."

"Thanks," he replied as he walked away. He took a final glance and smiled at the sight of his mum getting along with his crush. He sighed, wishing Zayn was his boyfriend. At least he knew his mother would approve of the relationship.

Not too long after he began to talk to Anne, Zayn realized that his cell phone had died and he had no way to contact his mum to let her know that he would be on his way home soon. He knew he would be in major trouble since he never told his mum he would be out the entire night and he didn't want to avoid it any longer. "Umm, Mrs. Styles, can I use your phone?"

"Of course, honey." Anne pulled out her cell phone and handed it over to Zayn.

"Thank you so much. Mine died, so..."

"No need to explain. Go ahead and use it."

Zayn responded with a smile as wide as he could muster since his nerves were a wreck, knowing his mum was going to ground him or worse for disappearing for the night. "Thanks." He dialed the number and his mother picked up on the second ring.

"Zayn?" she asked once she answered the phone. He was sure she asked since she wouldn't have recognized the number.

"Yeah, mum, it's me..."

Zayn was immediately cut off as she flew off the handle. "Zayn, where have you been... you've had me so worried... you're grounded until forever... do you know I haven't slept all night worried... where are you..." The questions and threats kept flying at him, but he wasn't able to get a word in.

"Mum... but mum... Mum!" Zayn sighed in frustration and ran his hand through his shower-dampened hair.

Anne could see the frustration and guilt on the younger lad's and knew she would have to intervene to try to help hin somewhat. "Hand the phone to me." Zayn handed the phone over, curious but worried also over what Anne was going to say. "Hello... this is Anne Styles. I'm his friend's mother. Listen, I'm terribly sorry that Zayn wasn't able to call you. The boys were hanging out yesterday and they fell asleep. I would've contacted you earlier, but I didn't have your number. I hope this doesn't prevent you from allowing the boys to continue their friendship. Yes, I know, as a mother myself I would be terribly worried too. I take full responsibility and I will be taking him home soon after he's finished his breakfast." Anne was smiling then. "Thank you, Mrs. Malik, ok here's your son back."

This time when Zayn spoke to his mum, she said, "Lovely woman. Bring them by, Zayn. I want to meet them and we'll discuss your punishment after."

When Harry finally returned after his shower with his dampened-hair, he sat beside Zayn, who was grinning madly.

"Took you long enough," Anne teased Harry, knowing that her son took a long time to perfect his look around his crush. "Here's your breakfast. I'm going to get dressed myself to take you home, Zayn."

"Thanks again, Mrs. Styles." Zayn replied, then he turned to Harry. "Your mum really is great."

"Yeah, why do you say that?"

"She just saved me from my mum's wrath." Zayn was grinning widely at the younger boy and Harry nodded.

"Yeah, she's always been a great mum, but she's been like completely devoted to me and my sister since she left my dad."

"Really? What happened?"

"Well, she doesn't like us talking about it, but he wasn't very nice to her. He was abusive and she didn't want to leave until he hurt me..." Harry's voice trailed off then, not wanting to say anything more on that part of it. Luckily, he was never sexually abused, just hit hard enough that he had bruises and a nose bleed from the slap he received to his face. "Umm, we used to live in Cheshire until I was 5, when we moved here, to London, and been here ever since."

Zayn placed his hand over Harry's and said, in his most sincere tone, "I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that."

"It's ok," Harry blushed at the warmth that radiated from Zayn's hand. "Thanks."

Zayn stared at Harry, wanting to say so much more, but not knowing what he could actually say other than he would make sure Harry was never hurt again, especially by him.

When Anne, Zayn and Harry pulled up to Zayn's home, Zayn inhaled a deep breath, worried of facing his mum's anger. "It's gonna be ok." Harry now placed his hand over Zayn's and gave a reassuring squeeze.

"Hope so," Zayn replied, exhaling out a nervous breath.

Zayn knocked on his door and Anne and Harry stood behind him. His mum opened and immediately had tears of relief streamed down her face as she pulled him in for a tight hug. "I'm so mad at you, but I'm glad you're ok, son."

"I'm sorry, mum." Zayn breathed out a sigh of relief, embracing his mum in the hug.

She still kept her arms around her soon as she motioned for Harry and his mum to enter. "Come in. Come in."

Trisha Malik introduced herself and sat down with Anne to speak while Zayn led Harry into his room. Harry was instantly taken aback as he gawked at all the artwork, decorating Zayn's walls and various pieces on display in other corners of his room. "Wow, Zayn! I knew you were talented, but I never imagined this."

Zayn brushed his hand across the back of his neck, nervous about showing off these art pieces. These were more personal to him and he always worried that people might not like them. "So, you like 'em?"

"No, Zayn... I love them." Harry teased as he walked from piece to piece and asked Zayn questions about his works. Zayn breathed a sigh of relief as he answered the younger lad and grinned as Harry continued to spew out words of admiration of his talent.

Zayn couldn't help but to admire the beauty that Harry encompassed either as he stole glances of the sweet, dimpled boy standing in his room.

When Anne decided it was time to go, she asked Harry if he wanted to stay a little longer. Harry nodded and Zayn was about to agree, but then Trisha said, "Next time." She turned to Zayn. "Son, you're grounded for the weekend."

"But mum..."

"Be grateful it wasn't longer. Thank Anne for that one."

"Thanks, Mrs. Styles."

Harry turned to Zayn. "See you Monday."

"Of course, Bruce Lee."

Harry laughed whole-heartedly and waved his goodbye.

Once in the car, Anne eyed Harry curiously. "Is there something you wanna tell me?"

Harry was confused. "What'd ya mean?"

"You gonna tell me where that hickey in the back of your neck came from?" Anne teased.

Harry felt embarrassed at that moment, not realizing that because of their escapades this morning, Harry was now sporting a hickey from Zayn's bite. "I have no clue." Harry decided to play dumb. "Maybe it's a bruise still left over from the attack."

"Honey, it's been almost two weeks since that happened. That looks pretty new."

"Dunno then." Harry shrugged his shoulders, deciding then to change the subject. "So what did you tell his mum to get her to lessen his grounding?"

"What, other than tell her that you have the biggest crush on her son?" Anne teased.

Harry's jaw dropped in shock. "Mum, you didn't!"

Anne was laughing whole-heartedly now. "Maybe I did."

Harry joined in the laughter. "You're horrible."

"Fine. I just explained to her that you've become really good friends and I praised her on how well she raised her son. Then I gave her my number and our address and promised that if Zayn ever stays over again, I will call her personally. I also promised to keep a charger for his phone at home in case she needs to reach him."

"Geez, you're great, mum. Hey, where are we going?" Harry asked as he realized they were headed the opposite direction of their home.

"To buy Zayn's charger. I hope you know what phone he has."

"I do, mum."

Harry rested back into his seat and stared out the window, smiling at the great day he had.

Zayn was in his room, sketching Harry again. He wondered if he should text the green-eyed lad, but didn't want to come off as weird. He was also smiling as memories of this morning's events replayed in his mind.

This would be the start of all the good things to come for both of them.


	13. Harry's What?

"Oh and you're grounded for the weekend too," Anne notified Harry when they left the mall with Zayn's phone charger in hand.

"Why? What did I do?" Harry was shocked to hear that he was in trouble.

"You lied to me last night. I thought his mum knew about Zayn sleeping over."

Harry couldn't hide his guilt over that lie he told. "I'm sorry. I tried to wake him up when you got home... I really did, but he was so peaceful sleeping that I didn't want to disturb him."

Anne laughed then. "Oh really? It wasn't just because you wanted to sleep with him? Your crush... the love of your life?" Anne imitated a swooning motion.

"Mum, you're embarrassing me. Stop it!" Harry covered his face with his hand, in embarrassment. "And please lower your voice. Kids from my school might hear you."

"Oh, you mean about Zayn?" Anne whispered.

Harry sighed again, but a huge grin crept onto his face at the sound of his crush's name. "Yeah, about him."

"Relax, baby. I'll stop teasing you now."

"Finally!"

When they returned to the car, Anne stated, "And even though you're grounded, it's not too bad of a punishment. I just want you to spend time with me this weekend." Anne was slowly realizing that Harry would be done with high school in about 2 years and he would be going off to college like his sister, Gemma. Also, her motherly instincts were telling her that Zayn definitely had something to do with the hickey on the back of Harry's neck, so she knew that soon her son would have his attention occupied too. "You can even invite Niall over. I won't be taking away anything like your phone or your video games... so yeah, you're lucky I'm a cool mum."

"Thanks. You are a cool mum. I'm so lucky to have you."

It was times like this that Anne was grateful for her children, when they showed appreciation of all her hard work for them.

When Harry got home, he stared at his phone, longing to text Zayn. Would the older lad be mad at him for bothering him? He had the perfect excuse to text him. He would let him know they bought his charger and if Zayn wanted to have a chat afterwards, then he would be completely fine with it. If not, then it was ok too. Harry nervously chewed on his lower lip as he sent the text.

To Zayn: Hi. We got you a charger for your phone.

Zayn was sitting on the couch, tickling his youngest sister when he heard the alert on his phone. Safaa was laughing loudly and trying to kick him while he entered his passcode and read the message. A smile instantly spread on his face at viewing Harry's text. He struggled with the temptation of answering the text and tried to play it cool until after about 5 minutes from receiving the message, he could no longer resist and replied.

From Zayn: That's awesome thanks.

Harry was anxiously awaiting his response, so when he saw the message, he instantly replied.

To Zayn: You're welcome :)

From Zayn: So what u up 2?

To Zayn: At home. Got grounded 2.

From Zayn: No Way! What u do?

To Zayn: Mom's mad about getting u in trouble.

From Zayn: Not cool.. It wasnt ur fault

To Zayn: It's ok. I wasn't going to do much anyway.

From Zayn: We could have hung out

Harry was quiet after Zayn sent the message. Zayn stared at his phone, wondering if he said something wrong. He reread the message and felt embarrassed that maybe he came off pushy and that's why Harry was quiet now. He wondered what he could message to fix his error. He thought of just apologizing, but then a message came in.

To Zayn: I would really like that :D

Zayn had no idea that Harry had become ecstatically happy from Zayn telling him that he would hang out with him, and was caught up screaming into his pillow until he was able to take a breath to send out his reply.

From Zayn: Cool, so I'll text u back later ok.

Zayn decided to take a moment away from the younger lad since he didn't feel quite right after he read his response. He felt his heart beat faster and he felt nervous, but he was also smiling. Zayn definitely needed to get his emotions sorted because he felt himself longing to see the green eyed lad's face, already missing his smiles and nervous habits.

To Zayn: Ok.

Harry did spend time with his mum over his "grounded" time. They had just finished dinner and were in the midst of watching a film when Zayn's next text finally dinged on his phone.

From Zayn: Why do parents force u to eat shit like broccoli?

Harry opened the message, laughing loudly as he grinned and responded right away. Anne eyed her son, his expression instantly giving away whom he was texting. Anne watched all the happy expressions displayed on her son and felt happy for him, but at the same time saddened that he was growing up so quickly and would end up leaving her soon enough.

Harry was oblivious to his mum's feelings as he continued to smile, then laugh, then grin widely, then blush before he threw himself back against the decorative pillows laid out on the couch.

Zayn was having the same reactions as he smiled and laughed at all the horrible jokes Harry made during their conversation.

Anne hoped things remained friendly between the two boys. It seemed that way until Harry walked into her room later that evening, looking well dressed with his hair neatly brushed after having another shower that day.

"Mum, I need your help," Harry began.

"Ok, honey. What is it?"

"Umm... can you take a picture of me? Zayn asked for it to put me in his contacts, but I can't seem to take a decent one."

Anne laughed loudly then, realizing that Zayn's request for a "contact" picture was probably just an attempt to get a picture of Harry sent to him, but she kept that theory to herself. "Sure baby." She took his cell phone and clicked away as he posed in various ways. After about twenty pictures, his mum stated, "Ok, enough now." She handed him his phone back. "All those pictures look great."

"Thanks, mum," he replied as he disappeared back into his room.

Harry scrolled through his pictures, choosing the best one and sent it to Zayn.

Zayn replied immedately, asking for another one as the margins were off for the contact image, so Harry sent another one. Again, Zayn found another reason it wasn't good enough, something about it looking too dark on his phone, so Harry again sent another one. When Zayn complained again, Harry sent one last one, then texted.

To Zayn: You'll just have to deal with those. There are no more.

In all honesty, he did have more pictures, but he didn't feel they were good enough to send to his crush.

From Zayn: It's perfect. Thanks.

This last picture had truly been Zayn's favorite, Harry's cheeks were stained pink from a blush and his dimples were sunk so deeply into his cheeks. Zayn admired his beauty in the image, deciding he was going to paint this image the following day.

Harry tried not to put too much thought of Zayn using the word perfect. If only he were using the word to describe him, he would never be sad again.

And that's how the boys spent their weekend, texting and joking with each other. Of course, Harry also texted Niall, but was too engrossed in his conversations with Zayn to provide Niall with their usual banter.

When Monday morning rolled around, Zayn was grinning widely as he hopped into Liam's car and Liam immediately said, "Damn you must've got laid this weekend."

Zayn's shocked expression caused Liam to laugh and tease him. "No I didn't."

"Damn, then why do you look like the cat that ate the canary?"

Zayn simply replied, "You're a dork," completely avoiding the question. When he thought it over, he did wake up with cum in his boxers while he was at Harry's, so technically he did. However, he didn't remember actually doing the act, so really he didn't. Sh it! Life was confusing sometimes.

When he got to school, Zayn was awaiting Harry's arrival and his heart skipped a beat when the younger lad made his way towards him. "Hey," Harry greeted, his voice shy-like and a blush spreading across his cheeks.

Zayn smiled, wondering when Harry would stop being so nervous around him, but appreciating his blush nonetheless. "Hey," Zayn greeted back, drowning in the green of Harry's eyes.

"Zayn, I need to talk to you," Louis said, breaking up the intimacy of the moment between the two lads.

Again, both Zayn and Louis walked away from Harry and Niall, who were wondering why they were always speaking privately with obviously tense conversations.

"So, Lottie is willing to hang out and get to know you. She's gonna be at practice again on Friday after school, then we're going out to eat. She wants it to be a friendly meeting first, with me there, before she thinks about going out with you. That was the best I could do."

"It's ok. Thanks Louis." Zayn tried to pretend that Louis' news was good, but as he stole a glance at Harry, he felt guilt wash over him.

However, Zayn only felt guilty until after their first class was over. Again, he was unfortunate enough to witness Maggie and Harry flirt, so Zayn assured himself that there was no reason for his guilty feelings since he was just doing the same thing as Harry. He was finding himself a girl to go out with.

Zayn tried to convince himself that his confusion would now be over now that he would be hanging out with Lottie on Friday, but subconsciously his feelings were only growing for Harry. Zayn and Harry spent a lot of time together and their friendship grew stronger.

Zayn continued to walk with Harry to his classes and they joked with each other. Zayn had even become more comfortable with throwing his arm across Harry's shoulders as they walked. While Harry enjoyed their time together even more. Zayn would have this way of looking deeply into his eyes as he shared his stories and his hands would find their way into his curls. Harry tried to focus on what the older lad was saying, but the exquisite feeling of Zayn's fingertips massaging his scalp was too much to handle. He would sometimes close his eyes as his head bowed into his hands and he felt like purring like a kitten, but had to control himself.

They continued to have lunch together with Niall and Zayn even stuck around, not even leaving their table to have his usual smoke at his secret spot. Zayn even had a bad habit of stealing food from Harry, a crisp here or there, a bite of his apple, and even a huge bite of his banana when Harry was not paying attention.

"Zayn!" Harry pretended to whine after he realized what Zayn had done, stealing a huge part of his snack, but knowing he would gladly share his food with Zayn.

"What?" Zayn mumbled through his mouthful of banana. "I didn't do anything."

Harry chuckled at his crush's antics and Niall watched his best friend interact with his crush and even he wished Zayn shared the same feelings towards Harry that Harry felt for Zayn.

Zayn even hung around Harry's house after school and Harry helped him with his maths homework. Harry always making sure that Zayn notified his mum where he was, so neither of them would get in trouble again. Then after Harry's mum took him home, Zayn would retreat to his room and work on Harry's portrait, adding small details he had begun to notice as he got closer to him.

When Friday finally rolled around, Zayn told Harry a somewhat truth, telling him that he would be hanging out with Liam after school again. It wasn't necessarily a lie, since he would be cheering on Liam during practice, but he just left out the part about hanging out with Lottie.

"Are you sure you're gonna be ok going home without me?" Zayn asked, the concern evident in his gaze.

"Yes, Zayn. Niall's with me. It'll be fine. Have fun." Harry forced a smile, missing him already.

"Thanks. You have fun too. Text me as soon as you're home, ok."

Harry laughed then. "Ok, dad."

"Shut it, you." Zayn placed his hand on Harry's back as he made his way to the cab an had a tough time moving his arm, wanting to still maintain the contact with the green-eyed boy. "I mean it. I'll worry if you don't."

"I promise I will, Zayn." Harry continued to laugh.

Zayn then turned to Niall and said, "Make sure he calls me."

Niall joined in the laughter. "Yes, I'll make sure the princess gets home safely."

"Niall!" Harry smacked Niall's arm, absolutely shocked that his best friend made the remark. He worried that Zayn might pick up that Harry was gay, but luckily the brown-eyed lad just laughed in response.

"Thanks. Bye." Zayn waved as the two lads were seated in the cab and were taken away.

"Damn, he's so sweet," Harry stated, grinning madly.

"Yeah. That whole bad boy thing doesn't really suit him, right?" Niall responded.

"I really wonder where his rep came from?"

"Beats me," Niall shrugged his shoulders.

Zayn made it to the football field and met up with Liam and was seated on the bleachers as practice began. He eyed Lottie with a group of female friends again and knew he would have to be patient and wait for Louis to introduce them before he could make a move. He was happy when Harry's message

Once practice was over, Zayn found himself at a table sitting beside Liam, with Lottie and Louis sitting across from him.

Louis began, "Lottie, I'd like to introduce you to my good friend, Zayn." Louis motioned between the two. "This is my lovely little sister Lottie."

Lottie smiled and held out her hand for a handshake. "Nice to meet you, Zayn. He's your friend too, Liam?"

"Yeah. I've known him for years," Liam responded.

The four of them conversed and Lottie smiled at Zayn a lot, showing her interest as she found him gorgeous, and would tell Louis that she would definitely go out with him. Things were going well, until Louis went to the restroom and Liam had walked off to chat up some of his mates from the team.

Zayn and Lottie were now alone at their table and she smiled at Zayn before saying, "It's really great that you're helping Harry. Louis told me how you're making sure he doesn't get hurt again. It's such a shame that he got beat up just cause he's gay..."

Zayn interrupted her then, almost choking on a french fry that he was currently in his mouth. "He's what?" Had he heard her correctly? Did she just say what he thought she said?

Lottie's face looked shocked as she looked at Zayn now. "Um... you didn't know he was gay?"

"No, I had no idea."

"Oh, sorry. I hope that doesn't change your mind about helping him. I mean I might be wrong anyway. I overheard our mums talking. Harry's mum told my mum that he got hurt because of that... but I could be wrong." Lottie looked for something to change the subject now, so she shoved a french fry in her mouth. "Yum, these fries are really good."

Zayn tried to act like Lottie's reveal of Harry's sexuality didn't affect him, but it did. He was mostly quiet after that, thinking it over. Was Harry really gay? Then Harry's words flashed through his head...

I don't mind a flat chest... She's not my type anyway... I just wish I could find that person who would stay with me, bruises and all...

Was Harry really referring to finding a man? Zayn had so many unanswered questions and tried to be patient, but less than 10 minutes later, he faced Lottie and said, "I've gotta go now. It was nice meeting you, Lottie."

"Nice meeting you too," she smiled widely at him.

Zayn got up from the table and sought out Liam. Once he found him with some of his mates, he asked, "Liam, can I get another ride?"

Liam nodded, asking, "Everything all right?"

"Yeah. I just have to go see a friend. Nothing major." Oh how he just lied to his friend, but he couldn't really say that he was desperate to find out if Harry was really gay. He needed to know more than he needed his next breath.

Zayn had Liam drop him directly in front of Harry's house as he was too anxious to waste time walking around. "Thanks again, Liam." He waved and watched as Liam drove off. Once he was gone, he ran up to Harry's door, knocking then ringing the door bell. He was definitely feeling too anxious to have this conversation.

When Harry answered the door, a huge smile was on his face and Zayn couldn't allow himself to realize how cute he looked in his white t-shirt and black jeans. "Hi, Zayn. What are you doing here?"

Zayn made his way inside. "Hi. Is your mum here?" Zayn felt nervous on how to approach the subject now.

"No, she stepped out for a bit to grab some stuff for dinner. I told her I felt like eating ice cream and she went out to get some..." Harry was chuckling now, shaking his head on how much his mother kept accommodating him.

Zayn interrupted him. "Good, cause I need to ask you something."

"Ok, go ahead." Harry smiled at him, awaiting the question.

Ok, Zayn couldn't stall any longer. "Harry, are you gay?"

Harry's smile dropped and a shocked look spread across his face as he lowered his head. His voice was quiet as he said, "Who told you?"

"Does it matter? Is it true?"

Harry took a longer moment to reply before looking up at Zayn again. "Will it change you helping me?"

Zayn shook his head. "I could never see you get hurt like that again."

Harry sighed out in frustration. "Yeah."

Zayn smiled, nervously. "Are you sure?"

Harry smiled at that. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure. I've known for a few years now."

Nothing could prepare Harry for Zayn's next question. "Are you with anyone? Do you have a boyfriend? Are you with Niall?" Zayn couldn't stop himself from rambling then.

"No, Niall's my best friend and I'm not with anyone." Harry was nervously ringing his hands now and blushing horribly at having to reveal this to his crush.

Zayn walked closer to him, staring a moment into Harry's green depths. He grasped his face between his hands and smiled at him. "Good." He then placed his lips over Harry's. Harry had dreamt about this moment since he first saw the older lad. He had fought with the temptation of kissing him every time he was close to him, so he opened his mouth and shoved his tongue into Zayn's mouth. Zayn brushed his tongue against his own as the kiss deepened and they explored each other's mouths. Both boys moaned from the pleasure of the kiss and only separated once the need for air caused them too.

"Wow, " Harry breathed out, his forehead resting against Zayn's.

"Yeah, was that ok?" Zayn asked, staring at the younger lad.

Harry was extremely happy from their kiss and nodded his head. "Yeah."

Zayn grasped onto his hand then as he lead him onto the couch. "I think we need to have a talk."


	14. Breathtaking Kisses

Zayn stared at his and Harry's intertwined hands for a moment before he broke their uncomfortable silence. "So, umm, yeah... that just happened."

Harry nodded and inhaled a deep breath. "Yeah." His mind began flooding with negative thoughts the longer the silence stretched between him and Zayn. He just knew that Zayn was realizing that their kiss was a mistake. Zayn was straight, after all, so he knew he would have to say something, anything to ease the thick tension in the room. "So..." he began.

"Umm," Zayn spoke at the same moment.

"Sorry," Harry blushed and said, "Go ahead."

"No, you go ahead." Zayn smiled and stared at the younger lad.

Harry cleared his throat as he began to ramble, nervously. "Well, I know it was a mistake... umm... our kiss..."

Zayn interrupted him, then, asking, "You think it was a mistake?"

Harry shook his head, his eyes focused on his lap as a deep blush tinted his cheeks. "No." When Harry finally looked up, he was met with a smiling Zayn.

"Me neither." Zayn stared intensely at the green-eyed lad and added, "In fact, I wanna do it again."

Harry's breath caught in his lungs and his heart picked up speed. "Ok," he breathed out.

Zayn cupped his cheek in his hand right before he kissed his lips. This kiss was so much better than their first kiss. This kiss was now free of nerves as they both decided that this is what they wanted. They explored each other's mouths with their lips and tongues and deep emotions were being sparked within both boys.

Harry kept chanting in his mind: 'Please don't be a dream... Please be real... Please keep kissing me...' He really appreciated that Zayn was such a good kisser and he even ventured to touch Zayn's cheek as he continued to taste his soft lips. He even licked his tongue a bit because he wanted to embed the taste of the older lad's mouth in his memory, in case Zayn decided that he didn't want to kiss him anymore.

Zayn was amazed how much he was enjoying kissing Harry. Sure, he had to stop himself from worrying that Harry was a boy and this was wrong since he was unclear of how he felt at the moment. Did kissing Harry just change his sexuality? It had never been a question before now. Zayn felt the younger lad touch his cheek and his smooth hand sent a tingling sensation throughout his entire body. He felt the younger lad lap at his tongue a few times and Zayn began mimicking his motions as the kiss proceeded.

Soon Harry's other hand had ventured to the back of Zayn's head as he threaded his hand through the dark fibers of Zayn's hair. Zayn responded by tilting his head as he probed his tongue deeper into Harry's mouth.

Harry felt his control slipping as his hand left Zayn's cheek and moved down to his chest. He could feel his fast heart beat pound against his palm and Harry knew his heart rate was mimicking the older lad's. He began tracing the outline of Zayn's nipple through his shirt just as he heard the front door open. Harry let out a surprised squeal before getting up and running off.

Zayn was confused over what happened and didn'it realize that the green-eyed lad had disappeared until they stopped kissing. Zayn's eyes were closed as he was lost in the moment, lost in the feeling of his first snogging session with a boy. He was still in shock of how amazing it had all felt.

"Zayn, you're here?" Anne was surprised to see the young lad sitting on her couch. She shuffled the 2 large brown paper bags that contained the groceries within her arms as she removed her key from the door and kicked it closed with her foot.

"Yeah. Umm... I came to hang out with Harry." Zayn felt nervous, wondering if the guilt of their little make-out session was plastered all over his face.

"Oh! I didn't know you were coming... Harry didn't mention it."

"Well, it was a last minute thing. I just came by to check on him."

Anne eyed him curiously. Just came by to check on him? She smirked at that statement. "Aww, that's so sweet of you. Where is Harry, by the way?"

Zayn wasn't sure where the younger lad disappeared to, but still managed to reply, "I think he went to go find something in his room. I'll go see." Zayn felt the tightness in his jeans and knew he was sporting a hard-on, so he kept his hands placed over his crotch to hide the view from Anne, as he stood up and sought out the green-eyed lad.

Zayn made his way towards Harry's room calling out his name. His room was empty and Zayn wondered where he could be hiding. He was headed back towards the livingroom, wondering if Harry was already there and he just hadn't seen him, until a sound in the bathroom caught his attention. If he wasn't mistaken, it definitely sounded like heavy breathing and moaning.

Zayn knocked lightly on the door. "Harry, you in here?" The tone of his voice was low, but was enough to project the question through the wooden door.

Harry nervously responded, "Yeah."

"Umm... you ok?" Zayn questioned, still maintaining his low tone.

Harry sighed heavily, responding, "Yeah. I'll be out in a minute."

Harry stared at himself in the mirror as he stood in front of the sink washing his hands. He was worried that the evidence of the wanking session he'd just had would be plastered all over his face. He'd never felt so turned on in his life and knew he would have to jerk off to relieve his predicament. What was worse was that now he couldn't stop smiling. He had just made out with his crush and the happiness he felt was etched on every crevice of his face. What a wonderful weekend this was turning out to be.

Harry tried to wipe away the huge smile he was wearing, but failed. Every time he tried, his mind would flash back to their kiss and it would shape his lips into that goofy grin again. He knew he couldn't hide forever since Zayn knocked on the door again and asked, "You sure you're ok in there?"

"Yeah, sorry." Harry finally dried his hands and opened the door. His eyes were downcast and he felt was too nervous to look at Zayn.

If Zayn hadn't known that Harry was such a shy person, then he would've thought Harry didn't want to face him and what had just happened in the livingroom. "You sure you're ok?"

Harry grinned and nodded as another blush spread across his cheeks. When he finally looked up at Zayn, the older lad was smiling and his golden brown eyes looked straight into his.

"Do you regret what happened?" Zayn asked, suddenly feeling very unconfident about their kiss.

Harry shook his head, replying, "No," as he swallowed the nervous lump that was starting to form in his throat.

"Good, cause I don't regret it either. I like you, Harry." Zayn cupped his cheek and continued speaking. "I hope that's ok."

Harry's jaw dropped in shock. Did Zayn just say that? He definitely had to be dreaming. He was at a loss for words as he just stared at his crush, his mind not able to form a coherent thought and no words would come out of his mouth.

"It's ok if you don't feel the same..." Zayn's hand dropped from his cheek and he started to turn away, but Harry stopped him by grabbing his arm.

Harry shook his head and said, "No... umm... I really like you too." Harry smiled now, feeling so happy that he was able to finally speak.

Zayn chuckled then. "You don't have to agree, seriously it's ok..."

"I mean it, Zayn. I really like you." Harry then whispered the last part, worried Zayn would be angry at him for admitting it. "Umm, I have for a long time."

Zayn didn't catch that last part of his sentence since his heart beat was thudding so loudly in his ears after Harry admitted he liked him back.

"In fact, is it ok to kiss you again?" Harry asked, his whole body radiating nervous energy.

"Of course." Zayn smiled as, this time, Harry held his face in between his hands and kissed the dark haired lad. Harry had dreamt about being with Zayn like this since the first time he ever set eyes on him, and as the kiss progressed, Harry felt his need grow enough to make him the aggressor now. He captured Zayn's lips between his own and kissed him until the older boy was pressed against the vanity, leaning his back slightly over the sink.

Zayn was feeling so turned on from Harry's aggressive behavior that his breathing grew harsh and he would pull away from Harry to breathe in some well needed air, only to have Harry kiss him again. When the kiss stopped, Zayn opened his eyes only to find the younger lad had gone again.

This time when Zayn searched for him, he found Harry in his room, breathing in puffs from an inhaler. "What happened?" Zayn eyed him curiously, recognizing the device immediately since he had family members who relied on an inhaler for emergency relief from asthma attacks.

Harry shook his inhaler again and breathed out in a raspier than usual voice, "Asthma," as he took one last hit until he felt his lungs open enough to breathe on his own. However, he started coughing, and Zayn quickly made his way over to him and started patting his back.

"Oh my god, Harry! You ok?" Zayn was panicking at the sight of Harry struggling to clear out his lungs and ran over to him and patted his back.

Harry nodded, smiling at his crush, yet still coughing.

Anne heard Harry's coughing fit and rushed into the room. "Harry, baby, you ok? Do you need your nebulizer?"

Harry shook his head, coughing into his hand and clearing his throat. "I'm ok, mum. It was only a small attack."

"You sure?" She asked, eyeing him to make sure he wasn't just putting on a brave front because of Zayn being there.

Harry deeply inhaled and exhaled out a breath and cleared his throat again. "I'm good, mum."

Anne felt secure enough that he told her the truth, so she nodded and said, "Ok, I'll just go make you some tea."

"Thanks."

Harry and Zayn both watched as she walked away. Zayn was still rubbing Harry's back, when he turned to the green eyed lad and asked, "You sure you're ok. You had me worried there for a bit."

Harry blushed at the sound of Zayn's concerned tone. "I'm good, really." Harry rubbed the back of his neck as he felt his anxiety level increase, which resulted in him making a bad joke to release some of it. "What can I say? Your kisses are breathtaking."

Zayn's mood lightened as well after that, as he wrapped his arms around Harry, hugging him to his chest and placing a kiss on his forehead. He joked back, "Well...yeah, but I didn't want you to stop breathing, Curly."

Harry blushed then and admitted, "I like when you call me Curly."

Zayn smiled widely, replying, "And I like your blushes."

This just made Harry blush more, which caused Zayn to kiss his cheek. Zayn then grew serious as he removed his arms from around Harry, but still kept one hand rubbing at the middle of his back. "How often do you have these attacks?"

Harry looked at his hands and starting playing with his own fingers. "Not too often. It's only a few things that trigger me... it's not so bad anymore."

"Ok, so what triggers you?"

"Strong smells sometimes... like strong paint fumes..." Harry began counting on his fingers as he pointed to them, trying to remember his triggers. "Pet dander used to be a big one... guess,also, when I'm nervous and I forget to breathe..."

"Like, when I kissed you?" Zayn teased, knowing Harry would just end up blushing from the statement. The younger boy didn't disappoint, when he nodded and the crimson colored spread across his cheeks. "Well, do you have a spare inhaler?"

"Yeah."

"Good, cause I guess I'm going to have to carry it around then. Can't have you stop breathing everytime I kiss you."

Harry looked up at Zayn then, green eyes colliding with the golden honey colored eyes of his protector. Zayn said he wanted to kiss him again? He definitely had to be dreaming. How could Harry even begin to imagine this would be the result of getting attacked and having Zayn be his bodyguard. "Ok." Harry felt breathless again as he moistened his dry lower lip with his tongue and watched Zayn lean in, his intention of having another kiss clearly evident in his action.

"Careful, it's hot." Anne walked into the room, holding a steaming cup of tea in her hand, with a saucer under to secure the cup. Zayn pulled away from Harry as his mum approached them.

Harry reached for the cup with shaky fingers, replying, "Thanks, mum."

Anne held the hand, that wasn't holding the tea, in between her hands and rubbed it. "I hate that that inhaler makes you shaky like this," she began. "Now, you're gonna be awake all night."

Harry felt the pink tint of embarrassment stain his cheeks. "I'll be fine, mum. I'll just watch TV or something."

Anne snapped her attention to Zayn, as if she suddenly realized he was there. "Zayn, honey, have you had dinner yet?"

Zayn nodded. "Yeah, I had something with some friends earlier." Zayn didn't want to admit that he had been with Lottie, while he told Harry that he was hanging out with Liam, so he left that part out.

"Do you want anything else to eat? I'm about to prepare some ice cream for Harry here... I'll bring you some. I got the neopolitan, so which flavor do you want?"

"Umm, it's fine, Mrs. Styles..." He was about to turn her down, when Harry interrupted him.

"Come on, Zayn. I can't eat ice cream alone. Have one too."

There was a look that Harry gave him. An innocent, yet dangerous gaze that flashed in his green irises and Zayn gulped at the sight of it, knowing that with that look, Harry could make him agree to anything. "Ok, sure. I'll take chocolate."

"Great!" Anne clapped her hands and added, "Harry likes the vanilla and strawberry swirled together, so perfect." She walked back into the kitchen and both boys turned to stare at each other.

"Your mum really is great, you know," Zayn admitted.

"Yeah, I know. I couldn't have asked for a better mum... and yours is great too," Harry replied.

"Yeah, she worries a lot. Guess she has to since there's four of us to watch over."

"So, tell me about your parents." Harry cupped his chin in his palm as he stared at Zayn, wanting him to continue speaking. He loved that thick Bradford accent of his and knew that he could listen to him speak forever.

Zayn smiled as he began, "Well, you know I'm from Bradford... they met there..."

Zayn continued with his story and before long, Anne brought the two boys their ice cream, sitting in waffle cones and coated in rainbow sprinkles. Zayn chuckled at the sight of the huge scoops of the cold treat and both boys happily accepted their snack.

"Wow, Mrs. Styles... thanks."

Anne noticed that Zayn's eyes were as huge as saucers and replied, "You're welcome. Enjoy it, boys. Oh and Zayn, you can call me Anne, by the way."

"Ok, thanks, Anne." Zayn felt awkward addressing her that way, since his parents would go ballistic if they heard him being improper to an adult, but he did anyway.

"So, how is it?" Anne asked, a huge smile plastered on her face when Zayn dug in right away.

"Mmm, really good," Zayn mumbled through the mouthful of ice cream.

Harry just chuckled and nodded in agreement. Anne said, "Ok, well let me know if you boys need anything else. I'm going to take a nap, it's been a long week. Oh, and Zayn, are you staying the night again?"

Zayn paused mid-lick, responding, "Well, I hadn't thought about it." He turned to Harry. "Is it ok?"

Harry grinned widely, nodding his head frantically. "Of course! We can play video games... or watch movies..." And kiss some more, Harry thought in his head.

"Ok, I'll call my mum in a bit and ask."

"All right. Wake me up if you need me to take you home then."

After Anne left the room, Harry turned on the TV and they watched a marathon of "Doctor Who" that was currently playing. Zayn sat quietly with his head lent back against the bed's headboard and Harry sat beside him and watched his crush devour his treat. He nervously picked at some tiny fibers of lint on his clothing as he snuck peaks at the dark haired boy beside him. Harry was in awe of how gorgeous Zayn really was. He had never really looked at him up close, since he was always either sneaking quick peaks or glancing away shyly, but now he sat beside this perfect boy and he planned on taking his time observing all of his features. His high cheekbones, so well-defined and sharp enough that he imagined they would cut him if he dared to touch them; his beautiful tanned skin that was flawless and contrasted so much against his pale skin; his full lips that felt so wonderfully pressed against his own; the two silver studs that looked so perfect in his pierced-ears...

"Harry, you ok?" Zayn asked, his eyebrow quirked up in question.

Harry snapped out of his daze. "Umm, yeah." Zayn was staring down at Harry's hand as ice cream began dripping down his index finger and thumb. Harry quickly licked it up before it hit his clothing. As Harry licked his fingers clean, Zayn swooped in and swiped a bit of his ice cream. "Hey..." Harry protested.

Zayn chuckled, trying to hide the smile on his face. "What's the matter?" he mumbled through the mouthful of the treat.

"Did you just steal some of my ice cream."

"No..." Zayn chuckled, covering the smirk on his face with his hand.

"You did!" Harry nudged him with his shoulder. "Now I have to take some of yours. It's only fair."

"No way!" Zayn pulled his cone away from Harry.

"Yes way!" Harry reached his arm out to grab at the cone, but Zayn just tilted his body and extended his arm further out. "Zayn! Come on."

"Harry... no!" Zayn continued to tease him as he was determined to keep the younger lad away from swiping some of his snack.

Somehow Harry's shyness and nervousness vanished as he was determined to win this little tug of war between himself and Zayn. In the midst of the struggle, Harry had ended up in Zayn's lap and his rear end was incidentally rubbing against Zayn's crotch. Zayn's hand reached up and grasped Harry's waist, keeping him still from his provoking movements. "Harry," he spoke through clenched teeth, struggling to breathe through the boner that was growing in his jeans.

Harry remained still, until he was struck with the realization that he was sitting in Zayn's lap. "Oh sorry!" Harry tried to climb off of Zayn's lap, but the older boy stopped him.

"It's ok." Zayn moved his hands down his waist, then moving them upward while staring up at the curly-haired boy. Zayn knew he should stop, worried about where his touches would lead to, but still unable to stop himself.

Harry had the same internal battle as he struggled with trying to control himself. He knew he had no hope as he bit his lower lip, tugging it into his mouth as his hips started rocking against Zayn's lap.

Zayn buried his face into Harry's neck as he suddenly felt embarrassed when his hips began thrusting upwards against Harry. He tightened his grip on Harry's hips as he asked, "Do you want me to stay the night?"

"Yes." Harry didn't hesitate in responding, too turned on to even think about being casual. He wanted Zayn and he didn't try to hide it.

"Ok, I'm calling my mum now."

Harry chuckled when he suddenly found himself laying on his back, with Zayn hovering over him. Zayn was already dialing his cell phone as he stared down at Harry and ran his fingers through his curls. Harry fought against the urge to close his eyes at the pleasurable feeling of Zayn's fingers running through his hair. Harry had always felt so content from Zayn's touches that he knew he could lie curled into him for the rest of his life, just to feel this boy touch him forever.

"Hi mum... yeah... I needed to ask you something..." Zayn pouted as his mum reminded him that he would be visiting his grandmother the following day, so he woudn't be able to spend the night. His mum was giving him an hour before she would come pick him up.

When Zayn ended the call, Harry could already guess that he wouldn't be able to stay the night. "Bad news, huh?"

"Yeah," Zayn sighed. "I have to visit my grandmother tomorrow and mum's coming to pick me up in an hour."

"Aww," Harry pouted in return, but Zayn just smiled at him.

"What are you doing tomorrow?"

Harry chuckled and shrugged his shoulders, "Not sure really..."

"How about I call you when I'm done and we can do something?"

Harry nodded, grinning madly. "Yeah."

Zayn continued to comb his fingers through Harry's hair. "So, tell me about your family." Zayn was still trying to keep from getting another boner, so he knew he would have to keep his mind occupied.

Harry cleared his throat and began, "Well, you know I'm from Cheshire... my parents met there too... and you know about my dad not being so nice to us... But it wasn't always that way. My mum told me they were happy once with me and my sister, Gemma..."

Soon the boys finished chewing through their cones and the hour quickly flew by. They had a few shared kisses within that hour, but nothing as intense as before. They just basked in each other's company.

They made their way outside, hand in hand, waiting on a bench on the porch for Trisha, Zayn's mum, to arrive. Zayn was playing with Harry's fingers that were intertwined with his own, when he asked, "Harry, umm... can we keep this between us? You know what happened tonight."

"Of course."

"I mean, I don't want shit spreading in school you know..."

"It's ok, I won't tell anyone."

"Umm, not even Niall."

Harry chuckled then. "I won't tell him either. He probably wouldn't believe me anyway."

Zayn chuckled in response. He was about to ask him why until he saw his mum's car headlights flash in their direction. He stood up, immediately releasing Harry's hand and waved a goodbye before he entered the vehicle and was taken away.

Harry waved back, already missing him. Harry returned inside his home and after checking in on his still-sleeping mum, he lay in bed, staring blankly at the TV as thoughts of tonight replayed in his mind. He and Zayn had kissed multiple times tonight. Oh, how he hoped Zayn wouldn't change his mind about everything. He couldn't wait until he saw him next to kiss him some more.

Later that night after Zayn settled in and was finally able to shut up his two sisters, Safaa and Waliyha, talking about how cute Harry was, he sent a text to Harry.

To Harry: I had fun tonight. Text u tomorrow ok

From Harry: I had fun too :) Tomorrow is great... goodnight. Sweet dreams. x

To Harry: Goodnight x

"I love you so much Zayn," Harry whispered to his phone and lay in his bed, smiling ridiculously.

Zayn smiled widely also as he drifted off to sleep, silently wishing he was wrapped up in Harry's arms.


	15. A look into Zayn

"Zayn! Zayn! Zayn!"

Zayn struggled to open hs eyes as his two youngest sisters attempted to wake him up. Eight year old Safaa, the youngest, was jumping on his abdomen while twelve year old Waliyha sat on the edge of the bed, giggling at them both.

"Wake up! Wake up!" Safaa continued jumping, causing him to groan and attempt to pull the covers over his head, but of course, she was pinning them down.

He opened one eye to look at his bedside clock and groaned again. "Why are you waking me up so early? It's Saturday."

"Cause we're going to Grandma's house!"

Zayn groaned again. It's not that he didn't like his grandmother, it was quite the opposite, he absolutely loved the woman. No, what had him groaning was that his family insisted on waking up before noon to spend the day with her at her home. "Where's mum?" Zayn asked, his voice still thick with sleepiness.

"She's downstairs with Doniya, getting some stuff ready to take to Gran's," replied Waliyha.

"Yeah, so you have to wake up...wake up..." Safaa continued hopping until suddenly Zayn grabbed her by the waist and dragged her beside him and started tickling her.

"Zayn! Stop!" Safaa was out of breathe as she struggled against her brother's hands.

"No! No! Little Chipmunk! You woke me up and now you have to pay!" He continued the tickle attack and Waliyha laughed at the sight of the two of them. Zayn turned to Waliyha and asked, "Why are you laughing? You're next!"

At that statement, Waliyha jumped off and ran away from Zayn's outstretched hand, screaming down the hallway, "Mum!"

On instinct, Trisha ran upstairs, wondering what all the commotion was about, but one look into Zayn's room and she should have guessed what it was. Zayn was tickling his youngest sister and she was kicking him with her feet and shoving him with her small hands as she laughed. "Zayn, quit torturing your sister and get ready."

"No, mum!" Zayn paused his action to turn to look at his mother. "She woke me up and she deserves to pay..." Zayn wiggled his fingers at her as if he was going to continue to tickle her, but Safaa took her chances and jumped off the bed and ran behind her mother, sticking her tongue out at her brother as she peeked around her mother's body.

Zayn stuck out his tongue in return, before replying, "You can't hide behind mum forever!" Safaa's eyes widened and she ran down the hallway squealing.

Trisha shook her head. "You two. Now get read Zayn, we're leaving in less than a half hour."

Zayn groaned again. "Fine, but I'm sleeping on the way."

"Yeah, if Doniya lets you. You know she hates to drive in silence."

"Well, she's just gonna have to deal with it cause I'm sleeping."

His mother chuckled as she walked away. "Ok, get ready and be downstairs for breakfast, ok."

"Ok." Zayn then gathered his clothes and headed for the bathroom to brush his teeth and shower. Once he was done with all those tasks, he met with everyone downstairs as instructed.

After his mother forced him to eat a breakfast sandwich, everyone loaded up in their 2 cars. His younger sisters rode with his parents in one car, while he and Doniya rode in the other car with his sister sitting in the driver's seat.

Zayn immediately pulled his seat back and reclined, saying, "Wake me up when we get there."

"Oh no you don't! I'm just as sleepy as you are, so talk to me."

"Can't you just turn on the radio or something? I'm going to sleep," Zayn grumbled.

"Nope." Doniya shook her head. "I wanna hear about Harry. Who is he?"

Zayn froze then. His mouth suddenly felt as dry as a desert and his heart was beating erratically. How did Doniya even know about Harry? Had he said something in his sleep about him? He didn't say anything about their relationship, so how did he find out. He wasn't sure how to answer, so instead he asked his own question. "How do you know him?"

Doniya chuckled, replying, "I don't. It's just that Safaa and Waliyha couldn't shut up about him last night and how gorgeous he was."

Zayn finally felt he could breathe and chuckled all the nervousness from his body. He definitely agreed with his sisters there as he recalled his gorgeous green eyes, dimples, and his smile. "He's a friend of mine." Zayn was careful to not let the memory of last night's events put too much effect on his facial features, but he felt himself grin anyway.

"Why haven't I heard about him before?"

"Geez, you don't have to know about everyone. I just met him this year."

"Really? Well, I wanna see a picture of him. They've gotten me curious about how gorgeous he really is."

Zayn almost argued with her over why he would even have a picture of him on his phone, since they were only "friends", but then he wondered if she would also see how amazingly gorgeous he is. "Actually, I do have his pic here in my contacts."

He enlarged the photo of Harry and showed it to her. Her reaction was almost what he expected as she wolf-whistled and said, "Damn! That's one gorgeous boy! No wonder they couldn't shut up about him. How old is he?"

"He's 16."

"Damn, I wish I was a few years younger. Is he single?"

Zayn's smile fell off his face then. "No, he's not single. He's seeing someone." Zayn gushed over the fact that he was the one lucky enough to snog that boy last night, but he felt jealous over his sister's comments.

"Damn, that's a shame. She must be really pretty to have someone like him."

Zayn laughed loudly then as he shrugged his shoulders. "I guess she's all right."

Zayn decided to change the subject after that as he felt awkward talking about himself that way, as if he was a girl. Once they reached his grandma's home, Zayn climbed out the car, yawning and stretching his stiff muscles. He tightened his jacket around him as a cool breeze swept by him, chilling his skin. It was already the end of September and it was only going to get colder and he was not looking forward to that.

His grandma's house was in the countryside of England and he enjoyed the sight of all the trees and flowers she had around the property of her home. He always envisioned himself painting this exact scene, but never really got around to it because of school and everything. He even found himself lost in a vision of painting Harry, already picturing how the light green of Harry's eyes would contrast beautifully against the dark hues of all the trees around him. He smiled, but shook his head at the thought. Even now, the young boy was creeping into his thoughts.

They all greeted each other once in his grandmother's home and while everyone either sat at or helped arrange food around the table for a family lunch, his grandmother pulled Zayn to the side, away from the family. "Zayn, I wanted to see how you're doing. Everything all right?"

"Yeah, Daadi," Zayn replied, addressing her in Urdu as his paternal grandmother. He didn't speak too much of the language from his Pakistani culture, but he never hesitated to use the words he knew around his family.

"That's good to hear. So no more fighting in school?"

Zayn shook his head. "No more fighting. The therapy has helped and my new school is better."

His grandmother hugged him closely, kissing his forehead. "I'm so glad to hear that. I've been so worried about you. Don't tell your sisters, but you were always my favorite... not just because you're the only boy, but because you remind me so much of your grandfather."

Zayn smiled at this because she always found ways to compare him to her deceased husband. She lightly squeezed his hands in hers and continued, "He was always the quiet one, drawing in the corner... just like you."

Zayn knew he got his talent from his father's side of the family and smiled at the comparison to his grandfather's artistic talent. "I know."

"Well, I'm glad you're getting better. I love you so much."

"I love you too." Zayn smiled, but as they made their way to the table with his family, he felt far from happy. His mind was now muddled with everything that had caused him to become so troubled and turn to fighting. He sat there and picked at his food, wondering how things would work with Harry now. He couldn't allow a repeat of the past, but maybe if he revealed his past to Harry, maybe they could try to make things work. But if he did reveal his troubled past, Harry might hate him forever. He knew he would have to make his decision before he got in further with the younger lad.

~~~~~*~~~~~

Harry woke up that Saturday morning, or more afternoon, grinning madly, recalling all the events from last night. He stroked the pillow and the bedsheets beside him, wishing Zayn were laying beside him, just like last week when he had dry-humped him in his sleep.

Zayn had willingly kissed him last night, actually more than once and it was exactly how he imagined it would be. His lips and his tongue pressed to his and his hands roamed over his chest and were threaded in his hair. Harry had to stop himself as he felt his body getting excited from remembering how perfect it had all felt.

Harry eventually willed himself out of bed to get ready for his day with Zayn, like he promised last night. He could already feel the excitement course through his body as he wondered where they would be going. He had no clue where they would end up, so he didn't know how he should dress. Finally deciding on a nice white t-shirt and black jeans, he set off to shower and get ready as he waited for Zayn to contact him.

After a few hours, his mum finally found him in the livingroom, dressed and watching TV. "You're alive!" She teased.

"Yeah." Harry chewed on his lip, nervously. "Mum, I gotta ask you something."

"Ok." Anne sat beside him.

Harry wanted to blurt out to her about him and Zayn kissing, but he promised he wouldn't tell anyone. "Umm, yesterday, Zayn said he would call me today to hang out. Is it OK if I go when he does?"

"Is it a date?" Anne asked. "Where's he taking you?"

"Of course it's not a date." Honestly, Harry wasn't even sure if it was or wasn't, but it might be. He had no idea, so he took comfort in knowing he wasn't really lying. "We're just friends.." Kissing friends, he thought to himself, "...and I have no idea where we're going."

"Then, of course you can go."

Harry smiled at his mum. "Thanks." He stared at his cell phone, waiting for either a call or text to come through. He waited... and waited... and waited.

Two hours later, his phone dinged with a text. He jumped out of his seat and picked it off of the table where it was charging. He quickly opened it and viewed it, but sighed when he saw it was only from Niall.

From Niall: Do u wanna come over to mines and hang out?

To Niall: Sorry, I can't today. Next time ok

From Niall: Ok :(

To Niall: Love u don't be sad

From Niall: Love u 2 :)

Harry flung himself back against the couch and sighed in frustration. He hated waiting. It was just making him more nervous about tonight.

Around 10:00 that night, his mother walked back into the living room, asking, "No call yet?"

The sound of his mum's voice startled him, but he only started crying at the question she posed. "No," he sniffled and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.

"I'm sorry, baby." Anne quickly thought of excuses for Zayn disappointing her baby boy. "Maybe, he got held up with his family. He could've just had an emergency or something, you know..."

Harry replied in a flat tone, "Or maybe he just didn't wanna hang out." He stood up from the couch. "I'm going to bed."

"Come cuddle with me," Anne offered. "I'll rub your back until you fall asleep."

Harry loved when his mother did that, but he shook his head no. "I'd rather just be alone right now."

Anne felt helpless as Harry stomped his way into his room. She just knew he was going to cry all night and she was so mad at Zayn for doing that to him. "I'm sure he'll call tomorrow." She tried one last feeble attempt at comforting him.

Harry nodded, but he knew better. This was Zayn's confirmation that he regretted last night and Harry felt angry with himself for getting his hopes up.

On Sunday, it was even worse. Harry knew that Zayn woudn't call or text or email or even show up, he just flat out ignored him. But that still didn't stop him from hanging onto a small thread of hope he still had that Zayn might change his mind.

Anne eyed her son, with his puffy eyes and runny nose and despised Zayn more and more everytime she saw the hurt on her son's face. She didn't bother Harry much. She just kept checking up on him, not saying much, to not upset him more. She did, however, bring him food and drinks.

"I'm not really hungry, mum." Harry sniffled as he turned away from the food.

"Well, too bad. I want you too eat it anyway. You are not going to make yourself sick over some boy."

Harry could hear the angry tone as she referenced the 'some boy.' He knew Zayn had crossed into his mum's bad side and he wouldn't be able to save him from her wrath. He almost chuckled at the idea that his mum would yell at Zayn over what he'd done.

"I love you, Harry. I'll be in my room if you need me."

"Thanks, mum," Harry mumbled out.

Eventually, he did turn back over and start picking at his meal. The last thought he had before he fell asleep that night was how was he going to be able to stand being around Zayn now? Maybe Zayn would even stop protecting him now. He didn't care either way because another beating would probably hurt less than his broken heart.


	16. I need to tell you...

On Monday morning, Zayn grabbed his backpack, which held two of the most valuable things in this world to him: one being his sketchbook and the other being something that linked him to his past and all the misery it held. He awaited Liam on the front porch with a tight grip on his most valuable treasures.

Once Liam arrived, he climbed in his car, still gripping on tightly to his backpack. He and Liam had a nice conversation on the way to school, but Zayn's mind was focused on his backpack and on Harry. How would the curly-haired boy react to his news?

After arriving at school, he thanked Liam again for the ride, but set out for his urgent task. Zayn stood against a wall at the front entrance of the school, awaiting Harry's arrival. He stared down at his cell phone and nervously chewed on his bottom lip. His heart would race and his breath would catch whenever he spotted a nest of curly hair, but none belonged to the green-eyed lad.

"Where are you?" Zayn mumbled out, getting more anxious by the second.

When the bell rang signalling it was time to go to class, Zayn groaned, jerking his body forward as he wondered where Harry was. Was he out today? He hoped Harry hadn't gone to class again without telling him, but one look inside Harry's classroom revealed the truth. Harry was sitting at his desk, slouching forward, and Zayn got angry. Why today of all days? The one day he had set out to tell him his news. He needed to get this off his chest before anything went further with the younger lad.

Zayn didn't know why he turned around and headed towards his classroom, but he was fuming and he knew he needed to calm down so he wouldn't unleash his wrath on Harry. Zayn knew he should've just skipped class because time ticked by way too slowly and all his thoughts were on his bag and its contents.

When he reached Harry's classroom, he found Harry waving a goodbye to Maggie right before his eyes landed on Zayn. Immediately, the smile fell off of Harry's face and he wouldn't look at Zayn as he made his way out of his classroom.

Harry stalked past him and still wouldn't look at him as he kept walking. Any residual anger that Zayn felt faded at that moment. He now felt hurt more than anything as he called out his name, "Harry."

There was something in the tone of Zayn's voice, something that seemed to break down the walls that Harry had built around his heart. He felt the angry facade fall from his face as well. Harry tried to act tough today, act as if Zayn ignoring him all weekend hadn't hurt him, but it was no use. Harry felt so hollow inside, so empty from being ignored by his crush, the boy he had fallen madly in love with. He took a deep breath and turned to look at him, working hard to keep the hurt emotion from his voice. "What?" Harry bit out in a harsher tone than he intended.

Zayn was obviously shocked at the tone of Harry's voice as he stared at him before asking, "What's wrong?"

Harry's teeth tugged on his lower lip as he chanted in his mind, 'Don't cry, Dont cry,' but it was too late. The floodgates burst open as the warm tears steadily streamed from his eyes and down his cheeks. Harry felt embarrassed at how easily he broke down in front of his crush. Great, he thought to himself, Now he's gonna think I'm a crybaby.

Zayn felt his heart pound faster in his chest at the sight of the tearful boy standing in front of him. He grabbed his hand, pulling him into a nearby restroom where he found a stall to talk to him privately. Once the door was shut securly behind them, Zayn immediately began swiping at Harry's tears again and asked again in a hushed tone, "What's wrong Curly? Tell me."

Harry just focused on his breathing. He didn't want to break into an asthma attack and he didn't want to be here with Zayn in this cramped stall. He wanted to be anywhere else than here. Why couldn't the ground just open up and swallow him up right now? And why did the feeling of Zayn's hand in his feel so damn right? Why was his touch still sending tingles up his arm?

Zayn asked then, "Do you need your inhaler? Where is it...in your bag?"

Harry shook his head. "Don't need it."

Zayn smiled then as he continued to clear away Harry's tears. "You gonna tell me what's wrong?"

Harry just shook his head no. He was still hurt that Zayn had avoided him all weekend. Why should he care how he felt now? He obviously didn't care enough to even send a text to him, even if it was just telling him that he regretted kissing him.

Zayn smirked then. "You know, I'm starting to feel offended here. First you stand me up this morning, now you won't even talk to me..."

"Ha!" Harry bit out bitterly. How dare he? How dare he act like Harry was in the wrong with anything, when Zayn was the one who had hurt him. "Now you know what it feels like to wait for something and... how disappointing it is to be let down."

Zayn cupped Harry's left cheek in his hand, forcing him to look up at him. "What are you talking about?"

Harry felt so nervous at having to reveal why he was so upset with Zayn, but he knew he couldn't stop himself now. "You promised to text me after you were done with your grandma but you never did."

Zayn was puzzled for a moment, before realizing Harry was right. "Oh my god! I feel like such an arse." He face palmed and replied, "You're right. I'm sorry. I got so caught up in my own shit that I absolutely forgot."

Harry felt even worse now. He was such an after thought for Zayn, that he had completely forgotten about him. He tried to mask his hurt by shrugging his shoulders and sighing. "It's no big deal anyway."

"Of course it is." Zayn swiped at another one of his tears, before pressing his lips to Harry's and kissing him. "I'm an arsehole, Harry. Please forgive me." Zayn went in again for another kiss, this one deeper as his tongue roamed the younger lad's mouth.

Harry melted into the kiss. He felt starved for Zayn's mouth. He thought he would never be able to kiss him again. His perfect mouth and his perfect lips pressed against his just felt so...perfect! He thread his fingers through his dark hairs at the back of his head, longing to just stay in his embrace forever, but he snapped himself out of it. He knew that he couldn't allow himself to forgive Zayn so easily. Somehow, he found the strength to pull his mouth away from Zayn's and said, "No, you can't just kiss me and play with my feelings..."

"I'm not. I promise you." Zayn sighed then. "I have to show you something. It's really important, but not here ok. Let's go somewhere private."

Harry was so curious about what Zayn had to show him that he replied, "Well, after school we can go somewhere..."

Zayn shook his head. "No! I need to do this now before I change my mind again."

"We can't. We'll get in trouble. We're gonna be late now if we don't hurry."

"Aww come on, Curly." Zayn pecked his lips once again and tilted his head to the side as he continued. "Where's your sense of adventure? Come skip with me."

"Zayn, we can't." Harry tried to argue, but the more he thought it over, the more he wanted to skip school. He would do anything to be around Zayn and keep kissing him. This boy had no idea how much control he had over Harry already and he knew that it wouldn't take much convincing to have him bend to Zayn's will.

"Come on... please." Zayn pecked his lips again and Harry knew he was in trouble.

"Fine, ok." Zayn smiled widely, but Harry sighed. "If we get in trouble, I'm telling 'em this was all your fault."

Zayn just shrugged at the comment. "That's fine. It's not the first time I've gotten in trouble."

"Ooh! That's right, Mr. BadBoy."

Harry teased Zayn and it was making him feel absolutely giddy. "Damn, right! Now do as I say or I'll bend you over my knee and spank your arse."

Harry's face tinted with a blush so red, his face resembled a tomato. "Mmm, kinky."

"You know, I'm not so sure how much i like this new you. Where's the shy boy I've been getting to know?" Zayn teased back, grinning at the reactions he caused in the younger lad.

"I'm still here."

"I know." Zayn squeezed his hand before releasing it and gesturing him to follow him as they made their way out of the boys' bathroom and out towards where they would safely escape school. Zayn led him through the outside patio where they normally ate lunch and by the dumpsters, where Zayn admitted, "This is where I come to have my smokes, by the way."

Harry nodded as he nervously chewed on his bottom lip. He was too scared to speak, way too scared of making any noise at the risk of getting caught. He'd never been in trouble before and he didn't want to start now. They walked to a spot that was open in the chain link fence around the school and Harry only started breathing once they were safely on the other side of the fence. Harry was already breaking into a sweat and he knew it had nothing to do with the warm air surrounding them.

They kept walking for about two blocks when Zayn spotted a cab and hailed it down for a lift. "So, where ya wanna go?" Zayn asked as he opened the door for Harry to climb into the vehicle.

"Umm, I guess, my house. Mum's at work, so we can be alone."

Zayn nodded. "Yeah, my mum will be home at my house, so yours is better."

After they gave Harry's address to the driver, Harry stared at Zayn as discreetly as he could, but he got caught anyway. Zayn turned to him, smiling that smile where his tongue pokes behind his teeth and his cheeks scrunch up to make his eyes look so small. He then stuck out his tongue at the younger boy, causing Harry to chuckle at the sight. It was obvious that he was trying to release the nervous energy surrounding them. They were both so nervous. Harry was afraid they'd get caught and Zayn could only focus on the contents of his backpack and how his story might change how he was viewed in Harry's eyes.

Once they arrived at Harry's home and Harry unlocked the door with his keys, Zayn sat on the livingroom couch and patted the spot beside him. Harry nervously sat beside him after setting his backpack beside the couch. Zayn released a nervous breath as he lifted his backpack, but Harry stopped him. "Let me call my mum first so she can excuse our absences, so we don't get into trouble."

"You can call her after. I really need to show you..."

Harry shook his head, his eyes pleading. "It'll be quick. I just wanna get this over with so she doesn't get any calls from school or anything."

Zayn chuckled then. "Fine, go ahead." Zayn adjusted his backpack beside him as Harry dialed his mum.

As the phone rang, one of Zayn's hands found their way into Harry's curls, while the other rested on his shoulder. Somehow he felt that he needed to touch Harry in case he didn't want anything to do with him after he discovered his secret. He wanted to embed as much of this sweet boy into his memory before Harry would end up hating him.

"Mum? Yeah...it's Harry... so I was calling cause, umm, I had to leave school early. No nothing too urgent, I was just sick... Yeah, Zayn made sure I got home..." Harry curled the receiver closer to him, cupping his hand around the mouthpiece. "No, he said he was sorry... umm, can we talk about that later?"

It was during this time, that Zayn tugged Harry closer to him and began kissing the corner of his jaw and kissed a path down to his neck and up to his ear. Harry closed his eyes and moaned at how good Zayn was making him feel. "Umm, what's wrong?" Zayn moved one of his hands to rub on his stomach. "It's, umm... my stomach. Yeah, it hurts."

Zayn chuckled quietly beside him, careful to not let his mother hear him on the line. "Yeah, ok. I know lots of rest, liquids... So will you let Zayn's mum know too so she can excuse his absence too?"

Zayn chuckled again. Harry was just too much of a good person. He couldn't believe the lengths he was now going to protect Zayn from his mum's wrath.

"Ok, mum. Thanks again."

When Harry ended the call, Zayn stared at him and teased, "You're a shit liar, you know."

Harry was the one chuckling now. "Well, I don't make it a habit of lying to my mum. I've always been pretty open with her."

"Really now. So you just tell her everything?"

"Well, almost everything."

"So she's knows about you then?"

Harry knew what Zayn was hinting at. "Yeah, I came out to her around middle school. I just knew I was gay during that time."

"And she was ok with it?" Zayn asked, but knowing Anne, he knew she had accepted the news. She probably even took Harry out for ice cream to celebrate his coming out.

"Well, she accepted it, but she was worried for me, you know. Too many homophobes in this world and she worried I would get hurt. I only made her worry more when I got beat up."

Zayn embraced the younger boy in a hug, his hand rubbing up and down his back. "It wasn't your fault. You know you didn't deserve that right."

Harry felt like purring like a content kitten at the exquisite feeling of Zayn touching him. "I know. But then, if it didn't happen, I wouldn't get to be here with you like this." Harry stared up at Zayn, his green eyes filled with all the adoration he had for his brunette savior.

Zayn kissed his lips gently. "I'm sure we would've found each other eventually. I believe in fate you know."

Harry blushed again, his dimples sinking into his cheeks deeply at the endearing comment. "Yeah, I do too."

"So yeah, about that..." Zayn reached for his backpack again and set it on his lap. "I need to show you something. It might change the way you see me..."

As he began to unzip his bag, Harry asked, "Do you want anything to eat or drink before we get to that?"

Zayn shook his head. "Not right now. I don't wanna wait anymore to show you this."

"Ok. Are you sure you wanna show me?"

Zayn nodded. "Yeah. It's really important and you should know about it before getting involved with me. It might change everything." Zayn had made up his mind about this. He was adamant about starting a possible relationship with Harry free of secrets. He didn't want to end up having some cliche dramatic moment of Harry discovering his secret and hating him.

"But I don't want anything to change. I really like you, Zayn."

"I like you too... but this has to be done." Zayn reached in his backpack and pulled out a metal box. His hands were trembling as he turned the key that was already inside the lock and unlocked the box before handing it to Harry.

Harry touched his arm and gave him a reassuring squeeze. "Don't be nervous. It can't be that bad, can it?" Harry opened the lid and his eyes widened at its contents. "Zayn, what is this?"


	17. Zayn's Secret

(A/N: Strong language. Read at your own discretion.)

"Zayn, what is this?"

Once the lid of the box was lifted up, Zayn felt his breath catch in his lungs. Now, that this was happening, he was beginning to regret his decision of showing Harry this side of him, this hidden part that he had decided to never show anyone.

Harry's heart also began racing the moment the lid had lifted and he viewed its contents. The first thing he took out from the box was a photograph. The young boy in the photograph had an uncanny resemblance to Zayn. Harry wondered if he was a relative or someone who just looked a bit like his crush. The boy's face was a bit fuller and was a lot paler than Zayn's honey kissed complexion, but what caught his eye was how the boy was dressed. He wore wide-rimmed glasses and a collared shirt covered by a jumper (A/N: Sweater in the US). While Harry was the last person who would judge someone by their choice of clothing, he couldn't help but think that his attire just screamed nerd, loser, geek, dork... all the words he was used to hearing his bully, Freddie, torment him with all these years.

However, as Harry stared at the picture, he noticed that the boy did have attractive qualities... the silver studs in his ears, the smooth and flawless-looking skin, and the soft, kissable looking lips that resembled Zayn's. Harry looked up at Zayn and then back at the picture, not really comprehending that they looked so much alike, yet so different. "Who is this?" Harry asked, staring up at Zayn.

Zayn chuckled then, wondering if he had changed so much from the time that picture was taken. "I think it's pretty obvious that it's me."

Harry spit out a nervous laugh then, not really registering that this was really Zayn. "This is you?" Harry again looked between the picture and Zayn, comparing all his features with the ones in the image.

"Yup, that's me. That was me the year before I moved to London and started at our school."

"Ok," Harry smiled tightly, wondering why Zayn was so insistent on showing him this picture.

Somehow, Zayn must have heard his unspoken question, because he then added, "I needed to show you that because I wasn't always the bad boy. I have to tell you the story about how the boy in that picture there became the "badboy" sitting before you." Zayn had used air quotes to emphasize badboy because sometimes he forgot that persona. He sometimes forgot that he wanted to maintain this image so he wouldn't have to relive what happened a few years ago.

"Ok," Harry nodded, still maintaining eye contact between the photo and Zayn.

"So, umm, yeah. Maybe we should get those drinks now because it isn't a very pleasant story and once I start, I don't want to stop until it's all said."

Harry nodded again as Zayn stood up and grabbed them each a water bottle from the fridge while Harry continued to rummage through the box. He saw more photos, a newspaper ad, and a pair of glasses that had a very defined crack down one lens.

When Zayn returned, he handed Harry a bottle and opened one for himself and drank a huge gulp of the cold liquid as his mouth suddenly felt as dry as the Sahara desert. His palms were slick with nervous sweat and his heart was pounding in his chest so hard that he inhaled a deep breath to calm himself down. He almost chuckled out loud at how all his nervous ticks were resembling Harry's.

Zayn was surprised then as Harry gave his hand a reassuring squeeze, stating, "It's ok. Take your time." He also gave him a comforting smile and Zayn smiled in return at how wonderful Harry was, but yet felt saddened by the thought that this might be the last time he would be on the receiving end of that gorgeous dimpled smile.

"So, umm, yeah. That was me back then. Me with my nerd outfit and my dorky glasses. I got good grades and was always an art geek."

A loud chuckle escaped Harry at hearing Zayn's words. "You don't look so bad."

Zayn rewarded him with a smile, before replying, "You don't have to be nice. I looked like a damn nerd. I should've realized that it would lead to the bullying that followed."

Who was Zayn referring to as the person being bullied? Harry began to wonder if he may have helped someone else in his other school, like he was currently helping Harry.

"I was the one bullied," Zayn spoke the words in a mixture between a frustrated and angry tone that seemed to reveal how much misery he had been through.

Harry was too shocked to speak right away. Wondering who the heck would even attempt this kind-hearted gentle boy. When he finally gathered his wits, he asked, "Who would bully you? Everyone is scared of you, Zayn. Everyone at school knows you're badass and won't hesitate to kicks someone's arse if they cross you."

Zayn laughed at Harry's words, a laugh so loud, it shook his whole body in the process. Harry thought it was the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard. "That's how it is now. I mean it's kinda the way I want it to be. I'd rather have everyone fear me than pick on me, you know."

Harry nodded again. "How were you bullied?"

Zayn sighed again and rubbed his hands up and down his arms. He looked as if he was trying to warm himself from a chill that seemed to run through him. Harry wanted nothing more than to hug him, to hold him tightly in his arms and reassure him that everything would be ok, but he allowed him to finish. When Zayn finally began speaking, Harry tried his hardest to listen, as he was lost staring at those plump lips that he was dying to kiss.

"I guess at first, it wasn't too bad when it started. The kids at my school started taunting me and I got called names, but I was like whatever, names will never kill me right. But then, it happened everyday and as much as I tried to ignore them, it was starting to get to me and upset me. I would try to act tough, like the words being thrown at me had no effect on me, but I would end up crying myself to sleep sometimes, wondering why it was happening to me. Why was I singled out like that and chosen to endure their punishment?" (A/N: Yes, I'm imagining all the hate and anti-Muslim comments he's endured through the years. Poor Zayn didn't deserve any of it.)

Harry had no control over his sudden need to hold Zayn now, to comfort him and let him know that Harry was here for him, he'd most likely always be here for him. With a hesitant hand, he reached out to touch Zayn's shoulder and inched his body closer. When he was rewarded with a lop-sided smile, he did just as he wanted to; he wrapped his arms around his crush, offering the comfort he knew he needed at the moment. Harry's plan was just to offer him comfort from his horrible past, but as Zayn hugged him back burrowing his head in the crook of Harry's neck, Harry's body began reacting in an unwanted way.

Harry was getting way too excited at the close proximity of Zayn's body to his and he felt like a monster. He was getting hard just by the feel of Zayn's skin pressed against his, his breath blowing onto his neck. Harry gave his arms a gentle squeeze, hoping Zayn would get the hint that Harry would have to put a little space between them because his body was demanding him to rub against Zayn's and now was not the time for that.

Ok, so maybe Zayn was having the same reaction. His face was burrowed against Harry's neck and he stared at the veins in his throat, his mouth just longing to suck on his pulse there. His neck seemed to be begging for a hickey or maybe Zayn was just imagining it, but either way he licked his lips with the thought of marking him, of showing the world he was his. So, because his hormones took over and his brain suddenly stopped, he pressed his lips to his neck. He trailed kisses along his neck and pulled his body flush against his.

Harry responded by closing his eyes and running his fingers through his hair as he relished in the immense feeling of Zayn's lips. He moaned at first but then, somehow, Harry breathed out, "Careful, don't mark me. Mum might see." Harry felt like an idiot. He had just spoken his thought out loud, and now Zayn was pulling away from him. His eyes shot open as his thoughts ran wild. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that..."

Zayn smiled then. "It's Ok, Harry. I should finish telling you everything anyway before you decide if you ever wanna kiss me again."

"Of course I would wanna keep kissing you. Please don't think that it will change anything..." Harry reached for him again, but Zayn grabbed his hands and enveloped them together in his. Even though Zayn realized this could be it, the end of a relationship that never really began, he still needed to touch Harry in some form before he never could again.

"Ok, so where did I leave off?"

Harry thought back to their conversation and replied, "You were telling me how they started bullying you... calling you names..."

"Oh yeah." Zayn stared at their entwined hands now as he continued his story. "So, it started with the name calling and then came the shoving. The guys would push me around in the locker rooms, then it was the halls and my favorite of all..." His tone grew sarcastic now. "...the best part was when they would stick out their legs to trip me. I mean like, fuck, who the hell does that? Even at lunch, I got tripped and had food all over my clothes."

"That's sounds horrible, Zayn. You didn't deserve that."

Zayn laughed dryly then. "That's not even the worst part. Nah, the worst part was when I got punched in the face, then had three guys gang up on me and dunk my head in the toilet. There's nothing more disappointing than going home to your family beaten up and smelling like piss."

Harry's eyes filled with tears then. "Why did they do that? Why would they hurt you like that?"

"All because of Anthony. He's the bastard that was responsible for all of that. Anthony was my best friend once, and he's the reason they picked on me. He's the reason they made my life a fuckin' hell and that's why I made him pay. I finally got sick of him getting off scott-free while I was the one fuckin' bullied everyday."

Harry began worrying as he watched Zayn's eyes darken with the anger seething through him. He nervously asked, "What did he do?"

"Oh, dear old Anthony. Let me tell you about that mother f ucker..." Zayn inhaled a deep breath and closed his eyes for a few seconds, trying to calm his anger down. "Oh, I taught Anthony a very good lesson. I'll start at the beginning."

Zayn inhaled a deep breath and Harry was mesmerized by watching his throat's movement as he swallowed before beginning. "You see, like I said, Anthony and I were best friends. We met in kindergarten and we became good friends. His family was Muslim too, so our families were really happy about our friendship. They never hung out or anything, but they liked sitting with each other and talking during our school events. But me and Anthony... we were inseparable. We liked hanging out and listening to music and we had a lot of the same classes together so it was cool. But then, I didn't realize Anthony was changing. He was hiding a big secret and was getting really quiet around me. I kept asking him what was wrong and if he wanted to talk about it, but he kept pushing me away and saying that he was ok... but I knew he wasn't. We were best mates and that quiet side of him was something I never saw in him. He was always the loudest out of the two of us."

Zayn stopped to take another gulp from his water bottle, his mouth feeling dry again from revealing so much of his past. His stomach felt like it was twisted in knots, but he knew he had to finish to make Harry understand it all. "So, one day, me and Anthony were in the locker room, changing for phys ed and he got really quiet again. He looked like he was lost in thought, so I shoved him, and he kinda fell off the bench he was sitting on. I was laughing because that wasn't anything new. We were always taking the piss out each other and playing around like that. But when he stood up he wasn't laughing. In fact, he was scowling at me and yelling that I was an asshole for doing that to him. I didn't know why he was so mad, so I again asked him what was wrong."

Zayn again blinked his eyes shut, then when he reopened him he continued. His gaze was distant though and Harry could tell his memories had transported him back to that moment. "So he walked up to me and pushed me hard. I fell backwards and landed on a bench and I caught myself before hitting the floor. When I got up, I was just as mad because he wasn't playing. He pushed me in anger and I didn't understand why. So I yelled, 'What the f uck was his problem' and he shouted back, 'You.' Of course, I looked at him like he was ridiculous cause what the hell had I done? I was his best friend. I was the one he came to when shit was bothering him so why would he blame me for something? And of course, I asked him why he was so mad at me."

Zayn turned to look at Harry then. "Harry, I didn't know. I swear I didn't know."

Harry's concern was etched on every crevice of his face and clear in his tone when he asked, "What didn't you know?"

Zayn seemed so lost as he looked away again. "He tried to kiss me, Harry."

Harry gasped in shock. "What?"

"He grabbed me by my shirt and was pulling me in for a kiss." Zayn shook his head at the memory. "I was fighting him off and turning away from him, but he was stronger than me, you know. I guess when I was pushing him away, my hands were pressed against his chest, so when a kid from our class walked by, it looked like I was the aggressor. And, of course, to save face, Anthony yells, 'What the f uck, Zayn! I'm not gay!"

"I was completely shocked and I said, 'I'm not gay, Anthony! You came onto me.' And, of course, everyone believed him. Everyone believed that I was the one who came onto him. Everyone thought that I was the one that who hit on my best friend, who was as close to me as a brother. I could never be with him like that even if I were gay."

Harry winced slightly at Zayn's words. He said he wasn't gay, then what in the world was he doing holding Harry's hands and kissing him? Harry wanted to ask him so badly, but allowed him to finish his story before he posed the question.

"So then a lot of kids started bullying me. The gay-bashers were the worse. Even when I denied it, saying I was completely straight, they even called me 'a self-hating fag.' I mean, how wrong was that? They should be saying that to Anthony cause obviously he was the one struggling with his sexuality, not me. But they focused all that hate on me." Zayn shrugged his shoulders then. "Guess it's cause I was the weaker one. Like I said, Anthony was stronger than me and then they heard the lie from the kid who saw us, so there was no hope for me."

Zayn's hands tightened their grip onto Harry's as he continued to reveal more of his story. "It was going on for months, Harry. I was getting angrier everyday and hating him more with everything that was happening. Then one day, I was standing at my locker, getting my books for my classes, and this kid walks up to me...Ralph. He was openly gay and he asked me out. I, of course, was beyond pissed because it seemed even the gay kids were in on it too. I saw Anthony at his locker, laughing at me with his new friends and I lost it. I shoved Ralph and he fell to the ground and I felt bad afterwards for him. I mean the kid was already nervous asking me out and I just shoved him away like trash... but my focus was on Anthony then. I stood face-to-face with him and he was showing off in front of his friends. I didn't know what I was going to do just then, all I knew was that he was going to know how awful I was feeling. It wasn't until he laughed at me and asked me, 'Are you gonna try to kiss me again, Malik?' that I completely lost it."

Zayn rubbed a hand against his temple before returning it to hold Harry's hands again. "I started wailing on him then. I don't even know how it happened. All I knew was that I was staring at him one minute and the next he was on the ground and I was pounding on him. I had so much built up anger, Harry. So much hurt and anger was raging in me that I pound it into his face. I couldn't tell you how long I punched him for or how many punches I actually threw, but by the time a teacher was able to pull me away, Anthony looked really bad. There was blood everywhere and he wasn't moving. After that, I was arrested and they tried to pin an attempted murder charge on me."

"So, you're a convict?" Harry asked, his tone hesistant at asking the question, but he was curious to find out. He knew that even if Zayn said yes, it still wouldn't change his view about him.

"Well, sort of. My charges were cleared at the trial. Luckily, my dad knew a good lawyer, so the charges were dropped, but I had to attend anger management therapy because I was so angry. There was an officer who testified that I was so out of it when they pulled me off of Anthony, that I said I didn't care what happened to him, I just wished he was dead. That almost got me jail, but they said therapy instead. I got lucky since I'd never gotten in trouble before and I had good grades and some of my teachers even wrote letters about my character to the court on my behalf."

"Well, that's great news then, Zayn. I'm glad you didn't have to go to jail..." Harry was going to add that none of that changed they way he felt about him.

Zayn scoffed then. "But that wasn't the worst part, Harry. I was so affected by everything that happened that I started fighting all the time. Anyone who so much as looked at me weird or made a sly comment, I was beating up. One of Anthony's new friends made the mistake of calling me a bender when I walked by him, that I wailed into him too. I didn't do as much damage to him as Anthony, but I yelled to everyone surrounding us that I hated everyone and I wished they all were dead..." Zayn swallowed roughly. "...and I said I hated all gay people. If anyone even made a gay comment or even made a gay joke around me, then I would kill them. I got kicked out of school after that, but that's what I was trying to tell you. I became a gay basher myself. I even threatened the gay people in my therapy group."

Harry wasn't expecting this. His eyes lowered and he pulled his hands out of Zayn's grip and he suddenly found it difficult to breathe. Harry rubbed his hands on his thighs as his thoughts began to wander. Does that mean, if he would have met Zayn a few years earlier, he would've been the one attacking him rather than protecting him as he was now? Could Zayn relapse into hating gays again and hurt Harry? Was Zayn forewarning him to stay away from him? Harry asked hesitantly, still avoiding Zayn's gaze, "So what does that mean for us?"


	18. Harry's Decision

(A/N: So there is a pic of a young Zayn & his real life friend, Anthony on my Wattpad. I just wanted to share what he looks like also in the story. Warning: smut tease. Yeah, cause that's what I write.)

"So what does that mean for us?"

Zayn placed his hands in between his thighs, suddenly nervous now and not sure of what else to do with his hands. He just wanted to reach out to touch Harry again, but he was allowing him to make his decision on what he wanted now. "What do you want it to mean?" He replied, nervous on what the younger boy would do now.

Harry released a frustrated sigh. He absolutely hated when someone answered his question with another question. "Well, umm... do you hate gay people?"

Zayn smiled then. "Not anymore. The therapy helped me to not hate them anymore. I blamed them for something that wasn't even their fault."

Harry nodded, still too scared to look at Zayn directly, so he stared at his hands instead. "So...umm, you're ok with gay people then?"

Zayn nodded. "Yeah."

"So, umm...do you, umm... do you think you could ever hurt them?"

Zayn shook his head. "Not unless they hurt me first."

Harry suddenly asked the one question that he wanted to ask in the very beginning of his questions, but was working his way around it. He had to know because he would have to deal with the heartbreak if he couldn't answer him in the manner he wanted. "Will you..." He swallowed roughly. "...hurt me?" 

Zayn shook his head. "I don't ever want to hurt you. I like you way too much." Zayn stared at him, hoping Harry would just look at him already. He needed some kind of confirmation that the younger lad would give him a chance.

Harry's cheek began forming a smile on his face, but then it quickly disappeared and he stood up and left the room. 

Zayn lowered his head guiltily then. He felt like such an idiot for doing all this now. He knew Harry would need some time to process all the information he gave him today, but he didn't expect the younger boy to just get up and walk away. He knew this would have been one of the outcomes of Harry hearing his news, that he would tell him to get lost, but he was expecting at least a goodbye. He really wanted Harry to give him a chance, but it seemed like he had made his choice.

Zayn sat there for a few more moments, debating whether to leave or go talk to Harry. "Dumbarse," Zayn mumbled to himself, rubbing the palm of his hands against his eyes, regretting his decision of doing this now. He knew he had rushed into telling Harry so quickly. Maybe he could've worked his way into telling him with time and things could've worked out better. As he continued to scold himself, suddenly he felt an object being placed into the palm of his hand. 

Zayn stared at the object in his hand, feeling his heart race at that moment, at that very moment when he stared at the inhaler that was in his hand. He stared into Harry's green eyes, asking, "Harry?"

Harry was a blushing mess at that point. "Umm..." He was wringing his hands nervously as he continued. "That's in case I stop breathing when we kiss."

"So, does that mean..." 

Harry nodded then already understanding what Zayn would ask. "Yeah, if you want."

"Of course, I wanna try." Zayn was smiling so widely when he pulled on Harry's nervous hands and tugged him forward to meet his lips in a kiss. "I promise I won't mess this up ok."

"Ok," Harry nodded shyly and Zayn reattached their lips again, pulling his body closer and held onto Harry's hips while he positioned one leg on either side of him so the younger lad straddled his lap.

They continued to kiss and Zayn's hands remained on Harry's waist, stroking up and down his midsection. The older lad seemed to possess control over their snog as he tilted his head to the side to continue meeting Harry's lips and deepening the kiss when Harry would tug on the hairs on the back of his head when he wanted the kiss to get more heated. 

Harry's hips began rocking on Zayn's lap when his body demanded friction. He was hardening already, realizing he and his crush were in a fierce lip-lock. How many times had he fantasized about having a moment like this? In his fantasies, Zayn would have bent him over the couch already and would be stroking all over his body. Harry felt restless, wanting to be enveloped by the warm haven of Zayn's body, consumed by his passionate kisses. Zayn seemed to have insight on his inner cravings as his hands slipped under his t-shirt, caressing his bare skin. His touch was igniting a fire deep within him. He actually felt like his veins would catch on fire and his body would combust into flames at any moment. When Zayn's palm brushed against his belly button, he released a soft mewl, wanting his hand to travel lower and touch him where his body demanded him to.

Zayn was definitely struggling with his demanding body also. He was way beyond stiff in his jeans and Harry rubbing himself in his lap was not helping out his situation at all. Zayn's hands had slipped under Harry's t-shirt and he was stroking his skin. He was curious to know how his body felt compared to his own. He found that it wasn't so different. Sure, Harry had some spots along his stomach near his navel area, but his waist was lean enough for him to be able to wrap his hands around him sturdily. His hands continued to brush across his skin and subconsciously, they were moving lower. He got lost in the soft moans and mewls Harry released and didn't realize that his hands were now so close to reaching the waistband of his jeans. Zayn was curious about how another cock would feel in his hand. No, not just any... just how Harry's would feel compared to his own, but he was also scared. This was a big step for him, as he had never been with a boy in this manner and he wanted to make sure he and Harry were ready for this.

Zayn wasn't sure where the strength came from to pull himself off of Harry's lips. He still kept a strong grip on Harry's waist to try to steady the movement of the younger lad's hips. "Harry," he gasped out, resting his forehead against his and stared into his lovely green eyes, their shade a darker hue from the lust coarsing through them. Zayn may not know much about boys and relationships, but he recognized how much Harry wanted him. Harry could probably see the same lust in his brown eyes as well. 

"Sorry," Harry breathed out, his lungs struggling to fill with air.

"It's ok. I want this too, but we need to slow down, yeah. Let me at least take you out on a proper date before we go further."

"You wanna take me out?" Harry peered at the brown-eyed boy through his lashes, still nervous on how to proceed with Zayn. He was chewing on his bottom lip and tugging on the hem of his t-shirt.

"Of course I do." Zayn smiled at him, showing how sincere he was being with his words.

"Ok," Harry was blushing again, causing Zayn to groan.

"You're really testing my self-control, Styles."

Harry was laughing now. "What did I do?"

"Stop looking so damn cute with all your blushes."

"Ok, I'll try." Harry tried not to blush again, but it proved to be an impossible task as his cheeks tinted with pink and his dimples sunk into his face deeply.

Zayn maneuvered Harry off his lap, but pulled him to lay his head against his chest, while he wrapped his arms around his upper body. Harry sighed contentedly at the position he was now laying in. How many times had he wondered what it would feel like to be held against Zayn's body? How many times hadn't he imagined that he would be held by his crush and he would be having his forehead kissed and arms wrapped around him, like the older lad was currently doing. He knew he wanted to stay in this moment forever, but because he's Harry and he's too curious of a person, he asked, "So, what happened to Anthony?"

Zayn grew tense then, but still maintained his arms around the younger lad. "I'm not really sure. I know he survived my arse kicking cause they told me at the trial, but I haven't spoken to him since that day. He was still in the hospital recovering even after I got kicked out of school. To be completely honest, I never even cared what happened to him. I was just happy I made him pay."

Harry reached out to grab ahold of the box containing Zayn's secrets and picked out a photo, asking, "Is that him?"

Zayn eyed the photo briefly and nodded his head. He knew the photo too well. Whenever he was having a bad day or he needed a reminder of why he chose to be a loner, he would pull out the box and leaf through its contents. The photo was of himself standing beside Anthony at Zayn's home during Christmas time. It was taken just a month before his friend tried to kiss him. Even though Zayn's father was Muslim, Zayn's mother was English and followed no specific religion, so he and his siblings had celebrated the holiday. 

Harry stared at the photo, taking in the details of Zayn's friend. His features were more defined and he looked more muscular than Zayn. He was a few inches taller than his crush and his eyes were a darker shade of brown. "He's cute." Harry was teasing, but Zayn's scoff in response was enough to brighten his day.

"Nah, I don't think so." Zayn shook his head, wrapping his arms around Harry's waist and pulling him closer to his body. "I'm cuter." 

Harry giggled when he felt Zayn's lips brush again his ear and nibble his earlobe. Did Zayn sound a little jealous? "Of course you are. You're absolutely gorgeous."

"Mmm, so are you." 

Zayn nuzzled his neck a bit before he nibbled at a certain plesurable spot, causing Harry's toes to curl and wrap his hands tighter around the box so it wouldn't collapse to the ground. "No, I'm not." Harry shook his head in response.

"Not what?" Zayn asked, stopping his teasing action, and eyeing the boy.

"I'm not as gorgeous as you." Harry felt his self doubt creeping in, almost ashamed to realize that Zayn was way out of his league.

"Seriously? You're even hotter than me."

Harry laughed loudly then, his dimples sinking in and his body rocked in the process. "You're just being nice, but thanks."

"Are you serious right now?" Zayn's voice deepened as he pulled Harry to sit face-to-face now.

"Yeah, I know you're out of my league."

Zayn was the one laughing now. "I should be saying those words to you. Don't you realize that you're close to perfect? You even have all my sisters crushing on you. Even my oldest sister was hoping you liked older women because she wanted to go out with you."

Harry was laughing again at Zayn's admission. "No way."

"Yeah." Zayn joined in on the laughter now. "You're a Malik family weakness, Curly. Hell, even my mum loves you. Not like that, obviously, but she does. She said you're a good influence for me." 

Harry shook his head again. "Geez, stop exaggerating."

Zayn used his index finger to bring up Harry's chin so they would be able to make eye contact. "I don't know how you can even doubt that."

Harry shrugged his shoulders in response. "Guess cause no one ever liked me like that."

"No one ever liked you like that? I don't believe that."

"Seriously, you see how I'm such a nobody at school that no one even knows I exist."

"Well, they're idiots. I'm an idiot too for taking so long to realize how much I like you." Zayn laughed at himself then. "Fuck! That sounded so cheesy."

Harry was fully smiling. "No it didn't. It was really sweet." Harry pecked Zayn's lips, causing the older lad to smile in return. Harry settled himself to lean against Zayn's body, leafing through the box again and said, "Now tell me about your stuff here."

Zayn nodded as they discussed all the pictures, mostly of Zayn in his earlier years clad in his "nerd" type clothing and smiling his awkward smiles. Every smile showed Zayn's tongue poking from behind his teeth and Harry was in awe of how gorgeous he looked, even when he was younger. They discussed the newspaper clipping that was a small article of Zayn's trial in his town's local newspaper, where the older lad discussed it more in detail and of the verdict of sentencing him to mandatory anger management and therapy. When Harry found the glasses with the cracked lens, he slipped them onto Zayn's face.

"Yeah and if I didn't look nerdy enough, these broken glasses just finished off my look."

"You look so sexy in them, Z."

"No," Zayn shook his head. "I got teased even worse when I had to wear these in class because mum couldn't afford to get me new ones. By the time she was able to, though, I made her get me contacts instead."

"I don't know. I think if you wore these around me, I'd have a tough time keeping my hands off you."

"Oh really now? Guess I'll have to save these for a special occassion then." Zayn pulled them off his face, folded the frames, and placed them back into the box. "Damn, you're adorable." Zayn kissed his cheek and wrapped him up tighter in his embrace.

Zayn rested his head atop of Harry's and felt so comfortable that he started to get sleepy. He stifled a yawn and Harry asked, "What do you wanna do now? We could play video games, or watch a movie, or take a nap..."

"Yeah. That nap sounds good. Let's go to your bed."

Harry felt his mouth go dry and his heart began racing. "Umm..."

Zayn realized why Harry suddenly got so nervous and chuckled. "I didn't mean it that way. I just sleep better when I'm in your bed."

"Ok."

Zayn grabbed onto Harry's hand and stood up. "Let's go."

"Wait...you want me to come with you?"

"Of course. I mean it's not the first time we've slept together, you know."

"I know."

"Stop blushing or I won't be able to promise that my hands will stay above your waist."

"Well, you have to cause I'm not that kind of boy." 

Harry joked and Zayn was chuckling again. "Oh really? Says the one who was humping my lap just a little while ago," he teased back.

"Oh, shut it, you."

They began walking towards Harry's room, hand-in-hand, when Harry suddenly realized something. "Wait! What about Niall?"

"What about him? He's in school and I'm not sharing the bed with him."

"No," Harry laughed, "I meant, how's he gonna get home."

"Well, let me text Liam. Maybe he could give him a ride."

"Liam? As in the football player at our school, Liam?"

"Yeah. He's a friend of mine."

"Oh," was all Harry could reply. He had no clue they were friends. He then realized there was a lot he didn't know about Zayn, but hoped he could learn about with time.

"So you text Niall and I'll text Liam. Send me Niall's pic and I'll send it to Liam, so he knows what he looks like, yeah."

Harry nodded and did as instructed. "Do you have Liam's pic?"

"Nah, but he's got brown eyes and brown hair, which he straightens... but don't tell him I told you."

"It's ok." Harry was sure Niall would recognize Liam anyway from the few times they seen him around Louis and his other teammates.

After texts were sent, Zayn asked, "So is that all?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah."

"Ok, bed time." 

Zayn undressed down to his boxers as soon as he reached the bedroom and Harry tried not to stare, but he wasn't able to keep his eyes off of Zayn's perfect body. He was lean and had a six-pack of abs, unlike his untoned body, which felt flabby and unmanly to him. Harry stripped down his clothing, but left his t-shirt on along with his boxers.

Zayn crawled under the covers first. "Well, come here, Curly." Harry had been standing awkwardly watching him and didn't realize the older lad had been waiting on him to join him.

He slipped into bed, but turned to plug his cell phone into his charger and reached in his nightstand for Zayn's charger also and handed it to him. "Charge your cell, you know, if you want."

"Thanks. You're always looking out for me, huh, Curly."

"Of course." Harry smiled, absolutely loving how the older lad addressed him by his nickname.

After plugging in his phone, Zayn turned to face Harry, wrapping him up in his arms and resting his head atop of his. His legs entangled with his own and he kissed his lips softly. "Night, babe."

Babe? Zayn had just called Harry babe and who knew he was such a cuddler. He was rendered speechless and could only smile at the term of endearment. When he found his bearings, he replied, "Goodnight, badboy."

Zayn laughed then. A laugh that rocked his body as well as Harry's. He kissed his forehead one last time before he closed his eyes and fell asleep. It wasn't until a while after that Harry was able to drift off as well as he was reeling from the shock that this was actually happening. Zayn was his... boyfriend... friend... friends who kissed? He wasn't sure what they were at the moment, but all he knew was that he would enjoy this moment while it lasted.


	19. Niam Meet

(A/N: This will be the last smut warning I give for the story. It should be expected from now on... cause that's what I write... Enjoy!)

Liam tightened his hoodie around his body and pulled its hood up over his head. Freakin' fabulous, he thought to himself. Another lovely rainy day in London again today. It had been raining most of the day and luckily coach cancelled football practice today since the storm was a bad one today, complete with small chunks of hail and a few strikes of lightning.

"Niall?" he yelled out, once he spotted the boy who was identical to the image Zayn had texted to his phone.

Once Niall heard his name, he smiled, though his body language indicated he was not happy at all. He held the opening to his jacket closed tightly and his hands seemed to be slightly trembling from the drop in temperature.

"Hi, I'm Liam..." he began, ready to relay how Zayn had texted him, notifying him that he would need a ride home, but he was abruptly cut off.

"I know... I'm Niall." His lips were trembling now from the cold wind that was whipping around his small frame. "Where's your car?"

Liam smiled widely at the Irish lad, realizing that he had the cutest accent and knowing he wanted to befriend this boy, but stuck to the issue at hand. He wanted to motion him to just follow him, but somehow he felt a protective instinct wash over him and before he could worry about any awkwardness, he wrapped his arm around Niall, pulling him close to his body. "It's this way."

Awkwardness was the last thing Niall was worried about as they sprinted towards Liam's car in the student parking lot. He was just soaking in the warmth of Liam's body as he was tucked in his embrace as they sprinted for Liam's car.

When they finally reached his small silver 4-door vehicle, Liam thought about doing the gentlemanly thing and opening the door for Niall, but decided to just use his keyless entry to open the doors as he released Niall from underneath his arm, and he raced for his own door. As soon as he made it to the driver's side and settled into the seat, he started up the car and turned on the heat.

"Damn, it's cold out there," Liam stated the obvious fact.

Niall smiled and nodded. "Yeah, my hands are freezing."

Niall silently gasped when Liam suddenly grasped his hands within his own and started rubbing them together in an attempt to warm them up with the friction. He was definitely surprised at how nice Liam was acting and how freely he touched him, but he felt no awkwardness from it. It seemed that Liam just had a really friendly personality.

"Wow! Your hands ARE cold." Liam continued rubbing them in between his own warm hands and Niall continued to stare at their entwined hands, realizing that Liam's warmth was now spreading from his hands upwards to his arms and he felt his cheeks warm up also.

Liam looked over at Niall, whose hands were already starting to feel warmer and his pale cheeks now had a pink tint to them. He didn't know why, but it looked like Niall seemed to be blushing and he wanted to ask him if he was, but knew he couldn't. That would definitely create an awkward conversation. He also fought against his urge to suddenly brush his hand across his smooth cheek.

Liam exhaled a breath and turned his face away from the Irish lad, asking, "So where do ya need me to take ya?"

"Turn left when you get out the parking lot."

Liam nodded and shifted the car into gear. "So, how do you know Zayn?"

"Well, umm, we're friends." Niall wasn't sure if that was a correct response, but he did think of Zayn as his friend. They had plenty of friendly conversations and did spend a lot of time together, so yeah, he considered him as his friend.

"Oh, I didn't realize he had friends other than me." Liam chuckled, adding, "I don't know if you realize it, but Zayn's a loner."

"Yeah, I know. I only just met him this year."

"Oh ok, that makes sense."

"So, how long have you known him?"

Liam smiled, recalling the day he met Zayn. He had just moved to London and was in his first week at the school. He had been an angry fellow, projecting his bad boy vibe out to everyone, but Liam was able to see through him. He somehow knew he could befriend the Bradford boy when he saw him drawing in his sketchpad. All it had taken was a compliment and a conversation on his talent and they became immediate friends. "We became friends when he first moved here... I guess about 5 years. He's not a bad guy once you get to know him."

"Yeah, you're right there," Niall agreed, nodding his head. He was recalling the few times Zayn showed his caring side, especially around Harry.

They continued their conversation as Niall stared out the passenger window and watched the rain continue to pelt around them and trying not to jump when the thunder boomed loudly.

Zayn awoke with a start as the sound of thunder boomed outside the window. He hated waking up like this, startled and feeling disoriented. It took him a few moments to realize he was still in Harry's room and the younger lad was still nestled in his arms asleep.

He smiled down at the gorgeous green-eyed boy that he had been extremely blessed to be snogging only a few hours earlier. He stroked the back of his hand down his cheek, caressing his smooth skin as he stared at his lovely features. He looked so angelic in his sleep, with his lips slightly parted and his curls spread out on his pillow.

When Zayn brushed the tip of his index finger across his lower lip, Harry's eyes opened slowly. As Harry continued to struggle to open his eyes, Zayn continued to smile up at his beautiful face. "Hey," Harry smiled back at Zayn, stretching his arms above his head, after he moved them from around Zayn's waist.

"Hey," Zayn replied, cheekily, his finger still moving against his lip, then down his chin. "Is this ok?"

Harry nodded, feeling at a loss for words, from the tingles that were coursing through his body from the older lad's touches.

Zayn kissed his pouty pinkish lips then. It was an innocent little kiss, with no tongue, just a meeting of their lips. "How about this?"

"Mmm hmm," Harry nodded as Zayn pressed his lips to his again, this time it was mostly all tongue and lips meeting together over and over again.

Harry failed at trying to follow his lips when Zayn stopped the kiss, only to climb on top of him and straddle his waist. Harry felt breathless as he suddenly found himself lying flat on his back and Zayn's fingers were interlaced with his. "How about this?"

"Yeah," Harry replied breathlessly. His brain began to feel hazy as Zayn kissed a path from his jawline, down to his neck. Zayn wanted Harry. He wanted to wrap himself up in the younger lad and drown in his kisses. He wasn't really thinking too clearly when his lust began overtaking him.

Zayn also wanted Harry to show him that he wasn't the only one who wanted this. He needed some sort of indication that the younger lad felt just as turned on as he was, so he continued placing teasing kisses down his neck and his hands roamed over his chest and stroked his sides. Zayn didn't even realize that his hips were grinding his crotch area against Harry's, until the green eyed lad grabbed onto his backside and pressed them closer together. Oh yeah! By the feeling of Harry's erection pressed against his, he absolutely knew the younger lad wanted this as much.

There were so many words Zayn wanted to project: he wanted to make sure that Harry wanted to continue, he wanted to know that they would be ok after whatever happens because Zayn was feeling too far gone to stop himself. Harry's lips matching his kisses and his hips grinding against his own were making him insane. He could no longer form a logical thought. All that mattered at the moment was the younger boy in his arms.

Harry was too far gone as well. He had fantasized about this moment for far too long to stop himself now. His hands were roaming over Zayn's naked chest, his fingers brushing over his abs, enjoying the feeling of them flexing under his touch. Zayn's hands were also roaming under his white t-shirt and he tugged its hem upwards, urging Harry to remove it. Harry obliged and removed his shirt, their mouths only separating long enough to haphazardly toss the garment, neither knowing where the shirt landed.

Harry was grateful that Zayn only wore boxers to bed because he could feel his hardness rub into his own through the thin material of his own boxers. They were now both only clad in boxers, the thin material was the only thing preventing Harry from losing his innocence. Harry didn't even care about how soon he was giving it up. This was the man of his dreams, this was the love of his life. He doubted he would ever love anyone else as much as he loved Zayn. He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from blurting those three little words he told Zayn in his mind everyday. Zayn's lips had now moved onto his neck, placing little bites in its wake and Harry responded by arching his head back, allowing him more access to his neck.

"Oh f uck," Zayn bellowed out as his hips had instinctively made their way towards Harry's rear end. He fit so perfectly between the younger lad's thighs and he was overwhelmed of how perfect it all felt. His hips pounded his groin into the soft round flesh and Harry continued to use his hands to push Zayn into him deeper. Ever since he had begun to dream about Harry, he had wondered how it would feel to be with a boy and he wondered how they would even fit, but now he had his answer. It felt freakin' spectacular! "I want you. You're so perfect, Curly."

Harry smiled at Zayn's admission. How ironic it felt for Zayn to say those words to him, when he knew he should be saying the same words to him instead. "You have me," Harry breathed out before gasping at Zayn's sudden tug on his curls.

Zayn stared at the younger lad in his arms, his crotch area still rubbing against him, and asked, "You sure?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah."

Zayn shook his head. He knew that he needed to stop his actions, he knew he needed to protect Harry's virtue, but he was finding it impossible to stop. "We can't."

"It's ok, Zayn. I want to." And to prove his point, Harry reached in between their bodies and grasped onto his erection, stroking it through the cloth of his boxers.

Well now that Harry had proved his point, Zayn was lost again. He was, after all, only human and there was so much lust coursing through him and it was all directed at the lovely green-eyed boy in his arms. So even though Zayn continued to pound his erection into the softness of Harry's rear, he kept his hands above his waist. He was still so terrified of touching Harry's cock with his hands, but that didn't stop him from grinding himself against his clothed erection. This, at least, felt safe to him. He would have time to work his way towards more later.

Once they arrived in front of Harry's house, Liam parked his car, but left the engine on to keep the car warm. Liam had been so consumed by listening to Niall speak, that he hadn't realized that this house looked way too familiar to him. He remembered dropping off Zayn at this very house just a few days ago. "Umm, is this your house?"

Niall shook his head. "No it's my friend Harry's house."

"Oh ok." Liam wanted to ask more. How did Zayn know this Harry fellow and why had he needed to be dropped off here so urgently, but he focused his attention back on the Irish lad sitting beside him in his car.

He must've been too quiet because Niall was already reaching for the door handle. "Thanks for the ride, Liam. I really appreciate it."

"Wait!" Liam wasn't sure where he was going with this, but he didn't want to him to leave his company yet. "Umm, I should give you my number... you know in case you need a ride again or something." Liam felt so nervous all of a sudden and he scratched the back of his head as one of his nervous ticks. "Or maybe you could give me yours and I could call you so you have my number."

Niall smiled widely then. This was definitely a first for him. Not only was Liam friendly, but now he wanted to exchange numbers? How was this even possible? "Umm sure." Niall retrieved his cell phone from the side pocket of his jeans and asked, "Ok, what is it?"

Liam called out his phone number and Niall plugged it away and saved him in his contacts. Once Liam had his phone, he said, "Ok, what's yours?"

Niall gave his number, his voice shy and uncertain, since he was sure that Liam was being nice and he knew that he would probably never contact him again. Liam saved him under his contacts and Niall reached for the handle again, waving his thanks. "Wait!" Liam called out again, causing Niall to stop his movements again, but chuckled at his stalling. "Do you, umm, maybe wanna sit here for a bit until the storm dies down?" Liam wasn't sure why, but he wanted to sit and talk to Niall a while longer.

Niall looked out the window, cringing at another rumble of thunder in the sky and the rain steadily pouring down. "Do you really think this will die down? It's been raining most of the day and it hasn't stopped."

Liam shook his head, smiling at his response. "You're right."

"Do you want ta come in? I'm sure Harry won't mind."

"Yeah," Liam was grinning wiidely now, and added, "But let me walk you to the door. I have an umbrella in the back seat. I don't want you getting sick now."

Niall again smiled at his kindness as he watched Liam reach for the umbrella, then come around to his side of the car with the opened umbrella. Liam opened his car door and escorted Niall to the front door under the umbrella. Ok, so maybe Liam wrapped an arm around his shoulders, but that was only so they would both fit under the umbrella, right?

"Damn, Curly, you feel so good," Zayn moaned against Harry's neck.

"Zayn," he moaned in return. Harry felt so hard right now. He was going to cum soon, but he wanted Zayn to reach his climax first, so it wouldn't be so awkward. He knew Zayn was still mulling over the idea of liking him, so he didn't protest when Zayn refused to touch him where he was craving him the most. Baby steps, right? The older lad was pounding against his arse and all Harry could do was urge him closer by widening the opening between his legs and guide his backside to push against him.

Then there it was, knock knock knock. Harry disregarded the sound thinking it was just the banging of his heart against his ribcage. He was so close to getting off from his dry-humping session with Zayn. He opened his eyes, though, when he heard the sounds again. "Zayn, did you hear that?"

"Nuh uh," he shook his head.

"It sounds like knocking."

"It's just the rain baby," Zayn continued kissing his neck and his hips continued their movement against him.

"Ok." Harry lay back against his pillows, closing his eyes again as he basked in their intimate moment together.

Then his cell phone began ringing where it lay on the bedside table. Harry opened his eyes again. He faced his phone and asked, "What time is it? It might be Niall."

Zayn licked over his nipple before nipping it lightly with his teeth. "You're just hearing things."

Harry giggled at Zayn. "Really?"

"Yeah." Zayn was chuckling now too. "It's just the wind."

Harry smoothed his hand down Zayn's cheek. "You know I have to go let him in."

Zayn groaned in response, his hips slowed down, but he still thrusted them hard into the younger boy. "He'll be fine. Just give me a few more minutes."

"Come on, it's raining. I can't let him stand out there in this weather." Then he heard it again, the knocking on the door became louder.

Zayn stilled his hips and groaned in response. "Fine," then he added quietly, "What a cockblock."

Harry chuckled at his statement. "Hey, I heard that."

Zayn rolled off of Harry slowly and lay against the pillows. "What? Go let little Irish in before he freezes to death."

Harry sat up, but leaned down to place a quick kiss to Zayn's lips. "Thanks. You're such a sweetheart."

"Yeah, yeah. Now go before I don't let you."

Harry crawled out of the bed and wrapped his light blue bathrobe around his frame to hide his obvious erection. Zayn really did a number on his body, turning him on to almost a painful point, and he had no time to try to relax his body, so he hoped Niall wouldn't notice. "Relax. I might just treat you to a blow job when I get back." Harry's cheeks suddenly flamed red in embarrassment. He couldn't believe he spoke his thought out loud again.

Zayn's jaw dropped in shock. "You kiss your mother with that mouth?" Zayn teased, causing Harry to blush even redder, if that was even possible.

"Yeah, but I'd rather kiss you with it."

"Hmm, really? Damn you sassy thing you."

"Sorry," Harry lowered his head, feeling ashamed at his outright flirting.

"Don't apologize, Curly. That turned me on even more." When Harry returned his gaze to his crush, he found him rubbing his hand over his d.ick. "Hurry back so we can have some more fun, yeah."

"Ok," Harry sprinted to the door, causing Zayn to chuckle at his enthusiasm.

"Sorry, it's taking so long Liam. Harry went home sick today, so I guess that's what's taking him so long."

"S'ok Niall." Liam pulled Niall closer to his body, with the arm that was wrapped around his shoulders. "Just as long as you don't freeze out here."

Niall blushed then. He wasn't sure why Liam's kindness was causing him to blush, but he guessed it had something to do with the fact that not too many kids in his school cared about him. Harry was truly his only friend.

At that moment, the door swung open. "Hey Harry," Niall greeted.

Liam's jaw dropped, his arm sliding from around Niall, and asked, "Harry? Harry Styles is your friend?"

Niall nodded and Harry greeted, "Hi Liam. Thanks for bringing Niall."

Liam responded with, "No problem. See ya later, Niall."

Liam watched as Niall and Harry shared a hug and he groaned on his way back to his car. This was not good. He liked Niall, but he was friends with Harry Styles, who was someone who he was not too fond of. Liam now had questions roaming through his mind. How could he hang out with Niall without having Harry around? And most importantly, how was Zayn connected to Harry? He had brought him here before. Zayn insisted it was an emergency. All these questions occupied his thoughts as he pulled into traffic and made his way home.

Harry moved his hips back when he hugged Niall, worried that Niall would realize he was still sporting a boner and he didn't want him to question him about it.

"Aww, Liam left. I thought he was going to hang out with us."

"Oh, I didn't know."

"He's a really nice guy Harry. I never knew he was that nice."

Harry smiled at how giddy Niall sounded as he spoke. He knew Liam acted like he really didn't like him, but he was glad that he was, at least, nice to Niall. Harry wasn't blind. Liam seemed to always have a problem with him when he would hang out with Louis when they were younger and would outright ignore his presence.

Suddenly, Niall turned to Harry and said, "Wow, you look really sick Harry. You're all red and you feel hot. Are you running a fever?"

Harry nodded, but he knew in reality his look had nothing to do with illness, but rather his sexy crush that was awaiting him in his room.

(A/N: So who saw Niam coming? For those of you who read Bachelor Party (my other story) should know how devastatingly sad it was when Liam turned down Niall. So I'm thinking maybe it's Liam's turn to do a little chasing... spoiler alert. LOL.)


	20. A little flirting

Niall grabbed onto Harry's hand and pulled him to sit beside him on the couch. "So, how're ya feeling Haz? I missed ya today."  
Niall's bright blue eyes flashed a concerned look at his best friend and Harry visibly gulped, not really sure how to answer his question. He couldn't exactly tell him the truth, that he had skipped school just so he and Zayn could fondle each other, but he was a terrible liar and Niall would see right through him. "I wasn't feeling well, but I feel a lot better now." Harry smiled at his blond friend, hoping the vague answer would satisfy his curiosity.  
"It's ok. I forgive ya. You know I had to sit alone at lunch today, but I guess if you hadn't been sick, I would've never met Liam."   
Niall seemed to have a dreamy look in his eyes and Harry couldn't resist asking, "He made quite an impression on you, huh?"  
Niall laughed nervously. "What'd'ya mean? He's a really friendly guy. You know how hard it is for me to make friends. You know I'm too shy... and if you wouldn'nt've talked to me, then we wouldn't be friends either."  
"I know, Niall. Relax." Harry was chuckling now, seeing at how his Irish friend seemed to get so flustered over his question. If Niall hadn't seemed to always make comments about how beautiful girls were, then he would wonder if Niall had a crush, but he decided to brush off that thought. "So, tell me what happened for him to make you this happy?"  
Niall laughed again at his best friend, but shrugged his shoulders before replying, "Nothing, I guess." Niall now felt kinda dumb that he felt so giddy because someone had been friendly to him, even if it did just happen to be a player on his school's football team and a popular kid.   
"You sure? Don't hold out on me now, Nialler."  
"Seriously, Hazza. It was no big deal. He was just nice and I'll probably never hear from him again." Niall's self-doubt now started kicking in. "I don't even know why he wanted my number anyway."  
"Whoa!" Harry grabbed onto his arm. "He got your number? Wow, Niall! You know that's the first step before becoming the school's slut." Harry was teasing him, causing the blue eyed boy to smack his arm in retort to his comment.  
"You're such an arsehole. Why am I your friend again?"  
"Cause you love me."   
"I'm not so sure about that anymore. I never teased you this bad about Zayn."  
"Oh, yes you did! You don't remember how you would point him out and make kissy faces and moan all the time?" Harry shut his mouth, realizing Zayn was still within earshot in his room, and he worried that he heard what he just said.  
Niall was laughing now as Harry stood up from the couch. "Where ya going?"  
Harry's nervous responses kicked in all at once: his wringing hands, his blush, the rising heat in his body. "Umm... bathroom. Why don't you get us some snacks while I go, ok."  
Niall nodded and Harry was off. He headed towards his bedroom, but before he could make it in, he saw Zayn enter the bathroom across from his room. "Zayn?" he whispered.  
Zayn nodded, motioning him to enter the bathroom with his hand. The younger lad followed him in and shut the door behind them. Harry stared silently as Zayn proceeded to strip down his boxers, leaving him completely naked. His jaw dropped in shock as Zayn's amazing length stood before him. Harry's mind began to wander as he imagined himself choking on his length while giving him a blow job, then screaming out in pain as his impressive member wrecked his arse. He felt himself getting turned on even more. Zayn was grinning up at Harry when his eyes finally took in the sight of the younger lad. He was subconsciously licking his lips and blushing again, so Zayn couldn't help but tease him, "You like what you see?"  
"Hell yeah." Harry blushed even harder realizing he was too quick in responding. Zayn was going to get the wrong impression of him if he couldn't control his impulses.   
"Hmm." Zayn hummed in response, liking how the younger boy seemed to be devouring his body with his gaze, before ducking his head down in embarrassment. "You know, I had to finish myself off after you said that... about giving me the blow job." Zayn cupped his hand and making the wanking motion, moving his wrist up and down near his groin area. He was now cleaning off the come that was coating his length with some toilet tissue.  
"Umm..." Harry ran a nervous hand through his curls. "Sorry about that. Niall and I were talking and I...I..." The younger boy was at a loss for words as Zayn's hands were still working on cleaning up his length.  
"Talking about what?" Zayn asked, wanting Harry to admit his conversation. Sure he heard some bits of it, but he wanted to hear the green eyed boy confirm what he heard.  
"Umm, school and stuff."  
Zayn smirked, knowing fully well that Harry was lying. "Oh, cause I thought I heard something about kissy faces and moaning around me."  
The green eyed boy face palmed, slamming his head down into his open palm as his embarrassment flood his entire being. "You heard that?"  
"Well, yeah, parts of it."  
"Oh...umm... I...umm... Niall... was umm... kidding, you know. It was a joke."  
Zayn had finished rinsing off the remainder of his arousal off of his length in the sink and was searching for a towel he could use. Harry caught on and grabbed one of the decorative towels for him to use and extended it to him. He knew his mother wouldn't like that, but they worked with what they had. Zayn dried off as the younger boy continued to just stand there and gaze at him, not even realizing he had been staring so long. "It's ok, Curly." Harry jumped slightly, snapping out of his trance, trying to fix his gaze on the tiles behind his crush, but his eyes kept straying to his groin area anyway. "It's kinda flattering, you know. You thinking I was hot before we even met. It kind of turns me on thinking about it."  
Harry felt frozen to the spot in which he was standing as he watched the older boy walk towards him. He felt completely out of breath as Zayn encased his body between his arms, his hands resting on the vanity and his body pressed to Harry's. His green eyes were drowning in the hazel eyes of his crush. Harry stared at his crush's eyes, realizing they were still brown, but had green tints to its shade, blending in perfectly and captivating the younger boy even more. Harry gasped when he felt the older boy's groin press against his own.  
"What're you thinking?" Harry shook his head, afraid to speak what was on his mind. "Come on, Curly... tell me."  
Harry inhaled a deep breath hoping to calm his nerves down. "Can I..." Touch you, suck you off, be your play toy? No Harry. You can't say those things. Think nice, safe... "Can I...umm... kiss you?"   
"Of course." Zayn smirked at him. "You don't have to ask. Just kiss me when you feel like..." Zayn couldn't even finish his sentence because Harry was pressing his lips to his own and pushing his tongue deep within his mouth. Zayn brought his hands to rest on his shoulders, while Harry wrapped his arms around his waist, pulling him closer to his body, rubbing his hardness into the older boy. Zayn gasped when he felt Harry's erection pressed to his, realizing that even though he thought he would be disgusted by feeling another boy on him, he felt the exact opposite as his body seemed to vibrate with his arousal. He could feel every part of Harry pressed to him, their chests pressed together, their groins pressed even closer, hands and mouths exploring each other, and he wanted more. He needed to feel more. This was definitely all too new and wonderful, to not be able to touch more.  
Zayn's hands traveled to the loose knot of Harry's robe and opened it up, reaching up to his shoulders to smooth the cotton material off his body. Harry responded beautifully as he tugged on the robe to let it slide off his frame. Zayn took a moment to move his lips to trail kisses down his neck and pressed open mouth kisses down his chest as his eyes traveled down his body. He could see his erection pressing against the fabric of his boxers and again the older boy felt too nervous to touch it. He tried to fight against his nerves as he allowed his hands to skim along the waistband of the younger boy's boxers.  
Zayn's breath hitched when Harry boldly touched his length and he knew he should mimic the younger boy's touch, but again fear grasped him, causing his body to become immobile. "So you're going out with me tonight?" Zayn asked, hoping to dispel all the awkwardness he felt from the green eyed boy stroking him, but he was too frozen to respond.  
The younger boy stopped the motion, feeling shocked that Zayn was even able to speak because Harry was numb from all the lust coursing through him. "Wh-what?"  
"I wanna take you out tonight... you know on a date."  
"Umm..." Harry chewed on his lower lip nervously as his dimples sunk in as he blushed from the question. His crush was asking him out on a date? Was he dreaming because this was too good to be true. "I'd like that... but I don't think mum would let me."  
"Why not? I thought she liked me."  
"Well, cuz I skipped school today. I doubt she'd let me go anywhere today." Harry offered him that excuse, but he knew that his mum was still mad at Zayn for standing him up over the weekend, so she might have an issue with them going out anyway.  
Zayn groaned. "Fine, tomorrow then. Or maybe the next day or the day after that?"  
The younger lad was now giggling from Zayn's words. He'd never been asked out before and he had no clue on how to even act on a date. He knew that even if his mother would give him the ok, he was going to have to prepare mentally for the date. He wished he could talk to Niall about it. It would be nice to have someone to discuss all that he was feeling, but he had promised Zayn that he wouldn't say anything.  
"Come on. What'd'ya say?" Zayn was smiling at the younger boy. He couldn't resist since the sounds of Harry's giggles were so adorable.  
"I'll ask ok."  
"Good. I can't wait." Harry's face was, obviously, redder than a tomato at this point, so Zayn asked, "Can you bring my clothes in here? Maybe a spare set of boxers too? Wouldn't want Niall to get an eyefull of this."  
"Oh my god... of course!" Harry turned away shyly, making his way out of the bathroom quietly so Niall wouldn't hear him. Harry stared at his hardened length poking out of his boxers and sighed, knowing he was going to have to wait for a bit until he could take care of it because Zayn had caused this, Zayn with his kisses and his delicate touches. He stopped his wandering mind because he was only making this worse on himself. He quickly grabbed 2 sets of clothing and boxers for himself and Zayn, then threw his sleeping bag beside his bed, before returning back to Zayn.  
But Harry had no idea that Zayn had given himself a pep talk while he was gathering their clothes. He had no clue that Zayn had convinced himself that he was going to be brave and try to get over his fear of touching him. So when Harry returned to the bathroom, he was unprepared for how fiercely Zayn attacked his lips and how urgent his hands were roaming his body. The younger boy lost his grip on the clothing, causing them to all topple to the floor as his hands instictively wrapped around Zayn's waist as Zayn thread one hand through his curls and let his right hand wander down his torso until it rested at the waistband of his boxers for a few moments. Harry held his breath, wondering how far his crush was going to go this time. Then there it was. A soft, tentative touch to his erection.   
Harry smiled into their shared kiss as he felt Zayn's fingers skim across the front of his boxers over his length. Then Zayn cupped his palm and pressed it more firmly on his bulge as he stroked him up and down twice before bringing his hand to touch the head of his d*ck. Harry whined a bit against his mouth when the older boy moved his hand back up to his waist.  
"I'm so sorry, Harry," Zayn whispered in his ear. His warm breath fanning against his ear drum sent shivers down the length of his body. "I want to..." He acknowledged Harry's wish for him to deliver a hand job, but he added, "...I just, I need to take it slow. I've never been with a boy before."  
"It's ok." Harry blushed, his gaze focused on anything but Zayn's face. "I know...I understand..."  
"You're too good to me, Curly. Do you realize how great you are?"  
"Oh. Stop it."  
"No, really." Zayn brushed a hand through Harry's now messy curls. "You have a really great personality."  
Harry laughed at his statement. "That's usually what a guy says when he thinks a girl's unattractive."  
Zayn smiled widely, replying, "But you're not ugly at all. Actually, you're really gorgeous and fit..." Zayn quirked an eyebrow then adding, "Wait a minute. Were you just trying to get compliments outta me?"  
"Hmm...maybe."  
"I knew it! You're too much, babe." Harry's heart skipped a beat when he heard Zayn call him babe again. The older boy then bent over to pick up the clothing off the ground. "I don't know about you, but I'm starving."  
"Yeah, we slept through lunch today. Go talk to Niall about what you wanna eat. I'll be fine with whatever you pick."  
"Ok." Zayn quickly put on the clothing and added, "Hurry up, ok, babe," and pecked Harry's lips.  
Harry nodded and Zayn made his way out of the bathroom. Harry quickly turned the lock and hastily took off his boxer shorts. He knew there was a time constraint, so he worked fast at wanking himself to get the release his body demanded from being in such close contact to his crush. When he spilled his arousal all over his hand and into the toilet, he bit on his free hand to stifle the cry of pleasure of Zayn's name from his lips.  
He washed up and changed his clothing before joining Zayn and Niall in the livingroom. He almost laughed at the sight before him. Zayn was sitting across from his Irish friend and seemed to be teasing him because he couldn't recall a time he'd ever seen Niall's face so red.  
"Are you sure you don't fancy Liam?" Zayn smirked, staring intensely at Niall.  
Niall groaned loudly and replied, "Enough Zayn! I said no. I'm going to kill Harry."  
"Harry had nothing to do with it. It's written all over your face."  
"Quit it already! Just because I said he's a really nice guy doesn't mean I fancy him. It's just..."  
Harry had heard enough. He couldn't believe his ears on how Zayn was obviously making his best friend uncomfortable. "So what did you all decide for food?" Harry chose a neutral subject, hoping to deter their conversation away from the topic of Niall and Liam.  
Niall was visibly upset. His face was tinted red, his arms were crossed in front of him, and his face was turned away from Zayn. Harry knew he should try to comfort Niall in some way, but he wasn't sure how to go about it. Then when Harry sat beside Niall, and the young Irish boy stood up and made his way to the bathroom, Harry knew he would have to speak to Zayn about his best friend.  
When Zayn saw Niall get up and leave, he wasted no time in getting up out of his seat to sit beside Harry. Zayn gripped onto the sides of Harry's face and placed a kiss on his pouty lips. If Zayn hadn't been so focused on the actual kissing, he would realize that Harry was actually pouting. Harry only allowed himself a brief moment of kissing his crush, before he pulled his face away from Zayn's.  
"What's the matter, babe?" Zayn asked, staring at the green-eyed boy.  
Harry chewed on his lower lip nervously. "We need to talk Zayn."  
"Oh no this can't be good. Did I do something wrong?"  
"Umm...well sorta." Harry was now wringing his hands nervously again, so Zayn knew whatever it was, was bothering him.  
Zayn raised a questioning eyebrow. "What did I do?"  
"Well, it's just... umm... can you lay off of Niall a bit?"  
"What'd'ya mean?"  
"Well...it's just that Niall hasn't had it easy, ya know." Zayn listened to Harry's words, but his hands got lost in the younger boy's curls. He didn't know that his hands playing in Harry's hair was actually helping to release Harry's nerves. "He's really shy and doesn't make friends, so please don't tease him. He's really sensitive when it comes to that stuff."  
"Aww, I was just playing. I don't actually think he fancies Liam. It was just funny how he started blushing and all when I asked him about how everything went with him."  
"That's what I'm talking about. He's so shy... worse than me even."  
Zayn smiled widely then. "I didn't think anyone could be shier than you."  
"Quit it!" Harry smacked Zayn's arm playfully.  
Zayn just chuckled at Harry's response. "It's ok though cause I like you like that." Now Harry was blushing at his words. "There you go with those blushes again." Zayn nuzzled his face against his neck, causing Harry to giggle. "Now you're giggling? Damn Curly, you just keep turning me on." Zayn placed a light kiss to his neck, but Harry grabbed his shoulders, pushing him away to keep on task.  
"Zayn, seriously though. I mean his older brother even teases him on how shy he is. He doesn't need the added stress, so will you lighten up on Niall?"  
"Of course, babe. I like little Irish, so I promise I'll back off."  
"Ok, but don't make it weird though, like I told you or anything, ok. I don't wanna embarrass him even more."  
"Promise." Zayn seemed like he was too distracted, zoning in his lips over's Harry's neck, then to his ear, licking the shell of his ear, causing Harry to giggle again at the ticklish feeling.   
"Seriously though. He's my best friend. I don't wanna see him hurt. I bet he's gonna come outta the loo with a red face and teary eyes and that hurts me, Zayn."  
"I got it, Harry!" Harry jumped a little at Zayn's harsh tone. "I won't pick on him anymore."  
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you upset."  
"Curly, the only thing that's upsetting me is that we're wasting time with this when we could be snogging. I got the message loud and clear the first time you said it."  
"Oh...umm...sorry." Harry stared at Zayn, feeling so shocked that Zayn wanted to snog him and he was irritated that they weren't doing it at that moment. Harry pushed past his nerves and pressed his lips to Zayn's. The dark-haired boy responded immediately, pulling the younger lad against his upper torso. Zayn quickly changed their positions as he pressed his body against Harry's, their chests pressed close and their lips pressed even closer and his hands raked under Harry's shirt as he explored his chest area. Just as Zayn was about to straddle the younger boy, feeling completely lost in their snog, he heard the bathroom door open, which only meant that Niall was returning. The older boy moved away from the boy quickly as they both rearranged their clothing.  
Harry identified the deviant smirk on Zayn's face and knew he probably had the same expression splattered against his face. He knew he got carried away in their snog, but he was too weak to fight against his desire for Zayn. He only wished he got his point across and Zayn would keep his promise to not tease Niall. He was surprised, though, when Zayn wrapped up his Irish friend in a hug as soon as Niall was within view.  
"Hey, Nialler," Zayn began, resting his chin on Niall's shoulder. "Hope you know I was just teasing you... I didn't mean anything by it. Please don't be upset with me."  
Niall was just as shocked when he felt Zayn's arms around him. He was facing Harry and stared at him, his eyebrow raised in question. Harry just nodded and smiled in response, notifying Niall that the sentiment was genuine. " 'S'okay, Zayn. I'm not mad."  
"Thanks. I'd hate to lose your friendship."  
Niall was still in shock that Mr. BadBoy Zayn was actually apologizing to him and even had him wrapped in a tight hug. "Ya...you didn't lose me as a friend."  
"I'm glad. I mean, who else is gonna help me keep troublemaker Harry in line?"  
"Hey!" Harry whined, causing all three boys to chuckle hysterically. From then, the three boys spent a grand time together, eating and watching TV. Zayn had even taken a few chances to get Harry alone with him, pretending he lost something in his room or asking for help with another random task.  
The first time they snuck away, Zayn had Harry pressed against his bedroom wall, pinned by his hips as he leaned in for a kiss. "Thanks for being so nice to Niall." Harry grinned at Zayn as he spoke, his dimples sinking so deep into his cheeks, driving Zayn mad at how cute he looked.  
"It's no problem, babe. It broke my heart to see him that sad all because of me being a jackarse."  
"You weren't being a jackarse at all. You just didn't know... but you're great Zayn. You made him happy again. I don't know how to even thank you for being so nice to him."  
"Well, you could start by giving me a kiss," Zayn replied in a teasing tone. Harry didn't even hesitate as he kissed him urgently, his tongue roaming his mouth, causing Zayn to tighten his grip in his curls as both boys fought to control themselves. Zayn was eager to explore new experiences with Harry, but they had a certain Irish friend of theirs, waiting in the livingroom. "I can't wait until our date," Zayn breathed against his lips, his forehead pressed against Harry's.  
"Me neither."  
"Come on, troublemaker." Zayn latched onto Harry's hand, dragging him away from the temptation of being in his room and so close to a bed.   
Harry was giggling crazily, so caught up in Zayn's teasing, that he didn't even notice the puzzled look Niall sent his way, the question raised at what was going on between the two of them.

When Anne, Harry's mum, returned home from work, she drove both Zayn and Niall home. Harry wasn't allowed to come with them because Anne insisted that he stay and rest the evening since he had missed school from his illness. Harry pouted as he waved a goodbye to both boys... but no sooner had Harry turned away from the door, heading towards his bedroom, when he received a text.  
To Harry: Sux that I couldnt kiss u goodbye  
Harry replied immediately, smiling madly as he flung himself onto his bed.  
To Zayn: I know. We'll have more time for kissing later.  
To Harry: Cant wait  
To Harry: Dream of me 2nite  
To Zayn: Of course. Dream of me 2 :)  
To Harry: I do every nite  
Harry had no idea how to react to Zayn's message. His face was already hurting by how wide his smile was and he was already chewing on his fingernails in anticipation of what Zayn would write next. Zayn was not texting back, so Harry sent a message.  
To Zayn: Are you home yet?  
To Harry: Almost  
To Zayn: Text me when you get home. I'm gonna shower.  
To Harry: You trying to give me a boner while I'm sitting next to your mum  
To Zayn: Of course ;)  
To Harry: Go take your shower imagine me there with u  
To Zayn: I'm gonna need a double shower if I do.  
Harry again waited for Zayn's response, which took a long time again. Harry again chewed on his thumbnail, nervous that his flirtyness crossed the line with Zayn. He wondered if he should apologize for his behavior, but then his phone dinged again.  
To Harry: U made me drop my phone ur mum just looked at me weird  
To Harry: I'll get u back grr!  
To Harry: Go clean up ur dirty thoughts  
To Zayn: You're just mad you can't join me in the shower  
To Harry: Go! U r impossible!  
To Zayn: Ok miss you :)  
To Harry: Text me when u get outta the shower u r going to need another 1 when Im done wit u  
To Zayn: Can't wait ;)  
Zayn didn't reply after that. He was already feeling anxious, his knee bouncing, and his body craving a cigarette. He knew he was going to have to squeeze in a quick smoke before bed tonight since Harry was driving him mad and his mother hated smoking in her house.  
However, when Harry texted him he was out of the shower, Zayn had told him he was watching TV with his youngest sister, Safaa, so they kept their text conversation PG 13. They discussed TV shows and their sisters as they both smiled at their phones, texting the evening away.  
Also that night as Niall was preparing for bed and was about to turn out his light, his cell phone beeped with an incoming message. Niall picked up his phone, thinking it was just Harry, when his eyes flew open widely. He was shocked that the message was from Liam. Liam? Did he text him in error?  
Niall sat up in bed, curious at what the message said. He was even more shocked, when he read:  
To Niall: Hi Niall. It's Liam. Are you still awake? Sorry it's late.  
Niall was too curious to find out why Liam had texted him, so he replied immediately.


	21. Rumors

The following morning, Niall entered Harry's home per their school routine, with red, sleepy eyes and dragging his feet.  
"Niall, what's wrong with you?" Harry asked, as Niall plopped himself on the couch, stretching his body along the length of the leather material.  
" 'M tired Haz," Niall mumbled out, hugging a decorative pillow under him, snuggling the side of his face into it.   
Niall's eyes were closed and he was attempting to sleep, when Harry asked, "Why are you so tired, Nialler? D'you have trouble sleeping last night?"  
Niall buried his face into the pillow as a huge grin spread on his face. "Yeah," he replied, his voice muffled by the material. His mind told him that he wasn't lying, only stretching the truth. He was actually up most of the night texting Liam and as enjoyable as the whole experience had been, he was now suffering from the loss of sleep.  
"Were you having nightmares or something?" Harry's voice was filled with concern, but Niall shook his head, still hiding his grin in the pillow under his face.  
"Nothing like that," his words were again muffled since he was trying to hide his grin, that he just couldn't shake. "Just couldn't sleep," he shrugged his shoulders, hoping Harry would stop his questioning. Harry was his best friend, but he wasn't ready to tell him about Liam yet, especially after what he went through with Zayn yesterday. Harry just might let something slip out to Zayn, then he would end up getting teased again, and he absolutely hated that feeling.  
"Ok then. I'll let you get your rest while I finish getting ready." Harry pulled the couch's tan afghan over Niall's sleeping form, then raced back up his stairs, perfecting his look for his crush today. As he smoothed a hand through his curls, tucking away the stray ones, he wondered if he should consider Zayn his boyfriend yet or was it still too early to tell? Was Zayn only experimenting with him or did he actually like him? He sighed as all the questions roamed in his mind, his stomach beginning to feel queasy as he worried over what Zayn's response could be. Even worse, was the fact that he had to keep their relationship a secret. How he wished he could at least talk to Niall about how he was feeling.  
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~  
"Holy shìt! What happened to you?" Zayn questioned, once he got an eyeful of Liam in his dreadful condition.  
"What'd'ya mean?" Liam pulled down his car's visor, staring at his reflection. He turned his face from side to side, wondering what Zayn was going on about.  
"You look like the Walking Dead right now." Zayn continued to look at him, his eyebrow raised in question.  
"Oh," Liam chuckled at his comment, smiling a genuine smile as he now knew he was referring to how tired he looked from his lack of sleep. "I just didn't sleep much last night."  
"I see. You get lucky last night then?" Zayn playfully elbowed Liam, waggling his eyebrows in a suggestive manner, as he buckled himself in.  
"Umm... I guess you could say that."  
"Oh s.hit, bruv. What's her name? Does she go to our school?"  
"No... no... not like that. It was just a friend. I was up talking to a friend."  
"Oh right. How's that song go... but you say he's just a friend..." Zayn was humming the tune, as Liam rolled his eyes in response.  
"You can be such an arse, man."  
Zayn shoved his arm playfully, knowing that he was getting under his skin. "Yeah, and you're the only one who can deal with me... that's why you're my friend."  
Liam hummed in response, knowing now was the perfect time to ask him about Niall. "I'm not your only friend, I see. How do you know Niall?"  
Zayn shrugged his shoulders, not really knowing how to explain how he'd met him because he was technically Harry's bodyguard. "We have the same math class together. You know I'm shit at maths, so he and Harry have been helping me."  
"Oh right. Cool. So what'd'ya think of Harry? He's pretty damn annoying right?"  
Zayn looked at Liam in shock, replying, "What? He's sweet and tells the worst jokes...but they're so bad that they make me laugh anyway. Why did you say that?"  
Liam quirked an eye in response, not realizing that Zayn didn't agree with his opinion, so he was careful on how to phrase his next words since he didn't want to offend anyone. "I mean, I don't hate the guy, I've just never really been friends with him. He was always hanging all over Louis when we were younger."  
"Well, they're friends too, right?"   
Zayn kept his gaze focused on Liam, and now Liam was feeling so nervous. He didn't know if he should come out and tell Zayn what he really thought about Harry, but again he knew he would have to be careful with his words. He wasn't sure of the fine line he was treading and now he had no idea on how to get off the topic. "Yeah, of course." Liam released an exasperated breath as he tried to change the subject. "Wow, at least traffic is light today right? We might get to school earlier than usual."  
"Hmm," he replied nonchalantly. "Now you have to tell me what you know."  
Liam's body temperature suddenly rose as his nerves flooded his system. He felt really uncomfortable with Zayn staring so intently at him. "What? I don't know anything." Liam laughed nervously, but Zayn kept his gaze focused on him.  
"You know you can't lie to me, Li. Tell me now."  
Liam's eyes widened at Zayn's tone. He knew Zayn had a temper and was known as such a bad boy in his school, but he'd never been on the receiving end of his anger, and he didn't want to start now. "It's nothing, man. They're just rumors. No big deal."  
"What rumors are you talking about?"  
Liam felt himself falling deeper into a hole and knew he wasn't going to be able to dig himself out of this one. "About Harry... but it's like, whatever. They shouldn't change your mind about him or anything."  
"Then tell me. I wanna know."  
Liam huffed out a frustrated breath as he turned the wheel of his car, making the left turn onto their school's road. "Fine!" Liam kept his face forward as he began, not wanting to see how Zayn would react to what he had to say. "it's just a couple of guys, you know. They think Harry's different."  
"Different, how?"  
"Like, he doesn't act like us."  
"What the f.uck is that supposed to mean?"   
Zayn's angry tone was increasing, but he still wasn't sure how to even say the words. "Just that he might not fancy girls or something."  
"So, he fancies boys?" Zayn already knew the answer to his question as he'd been lucky enough to be snogging the gorgeous boy, but he decided to act clueless as to not reveal their secret relationship.  
"Umm, yeah... but it's like whatever. I'm no one to judge him."  
Zayn liked Harry way too much now to feel so pissed that people were spreading rumors about his sweet, beautiful boy. "So who's been talking shit about him?"  
"It's just some guys, Zayn. It's no one really."  
"Liam! Don't be an arse. Tell me who."   
"Why? What are you gonna do? You gonna kick their arses or something and risk getting suspended or expelled?" Liam's tone was now raised, as he raised a curious brow at Zayn. "He worth losing your life over? Who cares, Zayn!"  
"I care! He's my... friend. I don't like people talking shìt about him."  
"Believe me, Zayn. He's not worth it. They say that he likes to sleep around too... you know so many guys that he doesn't even remember their names. I thought he was just into Louis but..."  
Zayn interrupted him then. "You know that's bullshìt right? Harry's so innocent he would never do that."  
"You'd be surprised at how little you can know a person, mate. They say one of his ex-boyfriends was one the guys who beat him up."  
Zayn's anger boiled over and he punched the dash of Liam's car. He released a frustrated growl, not from pain but from wanting to block out Liam's words. There was no way that could be his Harry. There was no way his Harry would sleep around with so many guys. He thought that his Harry was even still a virgin and there was no way those rumors were true.   
Liam looked over at Zayn, wondering if he had hurt his hand because he knew he hit his dash hard enough to break his knuckles, but Zayn didn't even seem phased by the hit. "Listen, I'm sorry mate." Liam lowered his tone as he looked over at Zayn and pulled into a parking spot once they arrived at their school. "I didn't mean to make you mad. Please don't be mad at me."  
"I'm not mad at you." Zayn stated simply. "I'm just mad at what you're telling me, but thanks for telling me." He turned to Liam and thanked him for the ride as he exited his car and made his way to his morning spot, where he usually met up with Harry and Niall. He took long, determined strides trying to get there quicker, to talk to Harry about the rumors and clear everything up. He rounded a corner and stopped dead in his tracks, at the sight before him.  
There before his eyes, Zayn saw Louis sitting at a table beside Harry, his arm around the green-eyed boy, and Harry had a huge smile on his face. He wanted to believe that what he saw was innocent, but he couldn't deny the blush that tinted Harry's face along with how far his dimples were sunken in. Niall was even laying in Harry's lap as the curly-haired boy ran his fingers through Niall's hair. He immediately felt jealous at the sight. He thought that smile was reserved only for him. He thought that he was the only one Harry who he was affectionate with.  
Sure, he and Zayn had never established that they were exclusive or dating or whatever, but he thought that his Harry would at least be faithful to him until they could discuss their relationship. But as he stared at the boy, obviously flirting and sharing his affections with other boys, he knew Liam was right...maybe he didn't know Harry at all. He stormed off to his class, not even bothering to acknowledge them. He needed to think, he really needed a smoke, but right now he just wanted to lock himself away and punch something until this hurt feeling went away.  
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~  
"See this one, Harry?" Louis asked, pointing to a picture in the stack he'd handed Harry. His mum had some momentos from their childhood, including pictures and comic books, and had given them to Louis. He, in turn, brought them to school to show Harry and ask if he wanted to keep some of the items.  
Harry blushed horribly as he stared at the picture of him at the public pool with Louis. He had dived into the water at a bad angle and tore a huge hole in the center of his yellow swim trunks and a part of his member could be seen. "Your mum had this? I'll take that." He took the picture out of the pile and secured it safely in his backpack, knowing this picture would never see the light of day again. He then stared at Niall in his lap. "Feeling better yet, Niall?"  
Niall hummed in response, his headache having eased some, but his head was still throbbing. "Thanks for rubbing my head, Haz. That always helps with my headaches."  
"Anytime, Niall. You sure you're gonna be ok? Do you wanna go home?"  
Niall shook his head lightly. "I'll be fine... besides me mam would be so mad if I skipped school."  
"Ok, Niall. I'll walk with you to class. I wanna make sure you're gonna be ok."  
"Thanks, Haz."   
They waved their goodbyes to Louis and headed to class. As they walked, Harry felt restless. He scanned the hallways looking for his gorgeous dark-haired crush, who unfortunately, was no where to be seen.   
Harry stared at his cell phone, wondering if he should text Zayn, but all of his self-doubts flooded him. Would he be bothering him? Would Zayn be annoyed or get mad at him? He tried to think positively that maybe Zayn was running late since they had stayed up texting for a few hours last night. He knew that he rode in with Liam in the mornings, so maybe they were both running late this morning.  
Harry sat through his class, not paying attention and feeling so impatient. He couldn't wait to see Zayn again. Last night, he had gotten to know Zayn more through their text messages and now he was anxious to see him. He even hoped he could sneak in a kiss, but he knew that would be close to impossible since they were keeping their relationship hidden from everyone.  
Once the bell rang, he jumped out of his seat enthusiastically as he waited for Zayn to arrive to his classroom. He waved a goodbye to Maggie as she walked by, not even stopping to talk to her because he was too distracted looking for his dark-haired crush. He waited and waited, but he didn't show up. He shot him a quick text asking him if he was in school today, but then he never got a response. He wondered if he got held up in class or if he was home, too sick to respond to his texts. The late bell was going to ring soon, so he raced to his next class so he wouldn't be late.  
However, little did Harry know that even though Zayn was mad at him and didn't respond to his texts, he had followed him to his classroom to make sure he made it safely. Zayn had stayed close enough to see Harry, but made sure he wouldn't be seen. Even though Zayn was battling with all these doubts now swarming his head, he still felt obligated to make sure the curly-haired boy was safe.  
Again after the end of Harry's class, he waited for Zayn. Again, he sent another text to make sure he wouldn't miss him, but again he got the same result... no Zayn and no return text message. Then again, after the following class ended, he sent a few more texts but there was no response. This went on until he met up with Niall at lunch.  
"Hey Niall. How ya feeling?" Harry asked as he sat down next to him at their lunch table.  
"A lot better, but I'm definitely taking a nap after school. I'm still so sleepy."  
"Oh...umm... you haven't seen Zayn today by chance?" Harry surveyed the people around him, still hoping he would see Zayn walking up to their table.  
"No, I haven't. Why?"  
"Well, I haven't seen him at all today and he isn't answering my texts."  
"Maybe he's sick today and broke his phone or something."  
"Yeah, maybe." Harry sighed as he felt all his self doubts flooding him again. Maybe he was out today or maybe he just didn't want to talk to him anymore. Had he done or said something wrong? Had he upset Zayn or cross the line with kissing him? Did Zayn not want to be around him anymore?   
Zayn was at his spot by the dumpsters, enjoying a smoke after he quickly downed his lunch. He stared at all the texts on his phone, but still didn't feel like replying to them. He still felt hurt and angry that Harry might have played him and he was not happy one bit about it. He thought about the rumors that Liam told him and what he saw this morning, but then his mind also reminded him how good it felt to kiss Harry. His doubts reminded him, though, that maybe Harry went around kissing a lot of guys like that, so that's why he was such a great kisser. He shook those thoughts out of his head, focusing on his anger instead. He wondered how was he even going to deal with Harry because even though he was mad, he couldn't hurt him. His thoughts were interrupted by the bell signalling lunch was over. Crap! He hadn't even thought about what he was going to do about the classes they had together.  
Zayn thought about skipping his math class, but he was no coward. He knew he could easily avoid the curly-haired boy, but he still waited until the very last moment before entering the classroom.  
When he walked in, Harry casted his beautiful green eyes at him, looking a bit shocked, but then a sad look spread across his face. "Zayn?"   
Zayn looked at Harry, wanting to melt at the sound of his raspy tone, staring at his lips for a moment, longing to kiss his pout away, but then his anger returned. He didn't answer the younger boy, and instead focused his gaze on finding a seat towards the back, away from Harry.  
Niall glanced at Harry, raising his eyebrows in question. Harry knew that Niall was silently asking the same question he was... what was that about? Harry shook his head in response and lowered his head, not wanting to meet Niall's gaze because he knew he was only a breath away from breaking out into tears. He knew they were keeping their relationship a secret, but Zayn made him feel like he didn't even exist. He liked kissing Zayn, but not if it was going to lead to Zayn being cruel to him.  
When the class was over, Harry stood up slowly, feeling nervous about approaching Zayn. He wasn't sure why, but Zayn's behavior scared him. He wasn't sure what the cold shoulder was for and when he turned around to look at Zayn's seat in the back, he saw that the older boy had already left. Oh no! Harry felt all the emotion he was bottling up inside try to escape and he felt his eyes tear up. He inhaled deeply and plastered on a brave face and walked beside Niall.  
Niall turned to him, knowing his friend well enough to know that something was off. Zayn seemed to be avoiding him and Harry looked like he was on the verge of tears, even though he was trying to seem happy. "Harry, you ok?"   
Harry nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine." His words said that, but his facial expression showed otherwise.  
"We'll talk about this after school ok?" Niall slipped a reassuring arm around the brunette boys's shoulders and Harry buried his face into his shoulder for a moment, appreciating the small comfort his best friend gave him. He again inhaled deeply as he struggled against the tears working their way down, fighting them as long as he could.  
"Thanks, Niall."  
This time though, Harry didn't even bother to wait for Zayn or text him. He got the message, that he was being avoided, loud and clear now and he would be patient enough for Zayn to come to him and explain his actions. This was his plan, until their shared study hall class arrived. One look at Zayn, and Harry asked in a pleading tone, "Why are you mad at me?"  
Zayn flashed him a look of disgust and replied, "We'll talk later. Not here." Then he took a seat away from Harry. The younger lad stared at him for a moment, feeling absolutely anguished at the way Zayn was treating him and he stared at his books. He couldn't risk looking at him again because if he flashed that same disgusted look again, he was going to completely break down into tears.  
Again, after the last bell of the day signalling school was over rang, Zayn was out of his seat and out the door. Harry trudged slowly towards the entrance of the school, where Niall was awaiting him.   
"Hey Haz!" Niall waved with a happy expression, but Harry waved slightly and he could no longer hide his sadness. He broke out into tears and started wiping them with the sleeve of his jacket. "What's the matter?" Niall had already ran up to him, wrapping him in his embrace and shushed him as he hugged him close.  
"He-he hates me." Harry spoke through the tears already clogging his throat.  
"Who hates ya?"  
"Zayn."  
Niall surveyed the area around them, seeing that there were too many witnesses around them, so he shushed him again. "It's gonna be ok, mate."   
Niall flagged down a cab, not releasing Harry from his hug until they were seated in the cab. Even then, the blond-haired boy grasped onto Harry's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.   
"Wait, Zayn!" Harry's tone sounded so hopeful, like he was hoping that Zayn would show up at that moment and everything would be ok.  
"Ta hell with him, Harry. Let him find his own way home."  
Harry nodded briefly before burying his face into Niall's shoulder, letting all the hurt and sadness out. He was proud that he held it in for so long, but now he could barely catch his breathe from crying so much.  
Once they arrived, Niall paid the cab driver and they made their way into Harry's house. Niall felt saddened as he watched his best friend trudge slowly to the couch with his head held down and tears straining his face.  
"What did he do?" Niall questioned, his tone full of the anger he felt at Harry's state, knowing that Zayn was the cause of his distress.  
Harry shook his head in response, remembering his promise to Zayn that he would keep what they'd done a secret. "I can't."  
Niall's tone was harsher now. "Don't give me that, Harry! I'm your best friend."  
"I-" Harry sucked in a badly-needed breath. "I promised."  
"Ta hell with that. You promised me we'd always be honest with each other and help when we felt bad. Now tell me."  
Harry thought over Niall's words and realized that if Zayn ended whatever they had, then he could end his promise too. "It's all my fault, Niall. I kissed him. I know I shouldn't have, but I thought he liked me..."  
Niall interrupted then. "Whoa! You kissed? So he knows you're gay?"  
Harry wanted to laugh because Niall had missed out on so much because of Harry's secrecy, but he couldn't force the laughter out. He still felt too pained at the moment. So he nodded instead, hoping he wouldn't have to explain everything about Zayn finding out he was gay and then kissing him and then Zayn revealing his secret past... but wait. Maybe this explained why Zayn was acting like this. He might have returned to his past ways and started hating gay people again. "Niall, I think I know what might be wrong..."  
Harry began telling him how Zayn had admitted his past, about the bullying and everything that happened with Anthony, and how maybe he tried to kiss Harry, but maybe realized he still hated gay people. Maybe he just felt too disgusted to be around Harry now.  
Once he finished his explanation, Niall was in shock about how much had gone on without him realizing anything. "Wow, Harry! I had no idea of all of that. I'm sorry he's an arsehole. Just don't keep any more secrets from me ok. Tell me when something's bothering you ok."  
"Ok, Niall. I'm sorry."  
"It's alright, mate. We'll find someone else to help ya at school ok. Don't worry about anything."  
Harry nodded in response before heading to the restroom to clean himself up. He felt so emotionally drained and stared at his reflection in the mirror for a moment, before realizing that Niall was right. He was going to have to let Zayn go because it was obvious he would never change his ways.  
(A/N: THE END. J/K... DON'T KILL ME... LOL. This chapter is really long btw)  
However, Harry had no idea that Niall had overcome his shyness and sent Zayn an angry text.  
To Zayn: Stay away from Harry you homophobe. He doesn't need you anymore.  
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~  
Zayn was now sitting in the bleachers, watching Liam and his teammates practice for their upcoming game for Friday. Zayn was still feeling horrible about everything that had happened today and he just wanted to go home and clear his head. He just needed to get away and process everything today, but unfortunately, Liam saw him in the hallways and forced him to tag along to their practice. He offered to drive him home afterwards, so Zayn agreed, hoping he could take the time to think things over.  
Zayn was smiling at some girls that were looking his way and giggling to each other, when his phone sounded with the incoming text. He couldn't explain how much it hurt his heart to read Niall's words. Why had he just called him a homophobe? He understood how Niall was upset about Harry because Zayn knew he was wrong in his actions. He didn't mean to treat Harry so coldly, he hadn't meant to ignore him like that, but he was angry. He was so damn angry that his temper had controlled his actions and he knew he hurt the younger boy. He had decided that he was going to talk to Harry in the morning and apologize for his actions. He would've done it today, but he needed to wait for his anger to subside. He couldn't risk exploding at Harry.  
As he sat there, contemplating his next move, he jumped up from his seat, not even offering Liam a goodbye or anything. Zayn ran to the front of the school and flagged down a cab. He counted out all the loose change and the few dollars he found in his backpack, hoping it was enough to get him to Harry's house. Luckily, the universe was kind enough to him that he had exact change for the ride and he anxiously ran to the front door and knocked.  
When the door finally opened, Niall stood there, his arms crossed against his chest and fixed Zayn with an annoyed stare. "What do you want?" He asked, his tone spewing venom. "You're not welcome here."  
"Please, Niall. I just- I need to talk to him."  
"No! Go home. I don't want you upsetting him again."   
Zayn almost laughed at Niall's serious tone. He'd never known Niall other than his shy and sweet self, so this side of him was almost comical to Zayn. "Is he crying?"  
Niall's anger rose at Zayn's question, his Irish accent impacting his words. "Why? Do ya need to feel proud of yerself? He finally stopped, so go away. You got what ya wanted."  
Harry heard Niall's voice raising in octaves and he walked towards the door. "Who is it, Niall. Why are you..." One look at the dark-haired boy, had Harry stopped in his tracks. "...Zayn?"  
"Harry, I need to talk to you!" Zayn shouted through the doorway.  
"No." Harry shook his head, avoiding his gaze. He needed to be strong and let his crush go. He was probably going to end up hurting him more in the long run, so he needed to say his goodbye. "Bye, Zayn. Thanks for your help."   
"See." Niall added, "He doesn't want to see you, so go away."  
Zayn knew he should just go, his doubts reminding him about what Liam told him about Harry sleeping around. Why was he bothering with the issue anyway? But he deserved an explanation, and an apology, for everything. "Fine! Why did you do it? Why'd you use me?"  
"What?" Harry stared at the Zayn, wondering what he was going on about.  
"I wanna know."  
"I don't know what you're talking about. How'd I use you?"  
"Listen, let me in and tell me." Zayn's eyes were pleading, making Harry's heart skip a beat. He felt all his strong resolve already begin to fade as he stared at his crush.  
"NO!" Niall added. "You've hurt him enough!"  
Zayn replied, "You know I can just force my way in right?" Zayn was using his bad boy image again, hopefully to his advantage. "I don't wanna hurt you Niall." Even though he spoke the words, his gaze never broke away from Harry's beautiful emerald eyes.  
"It's ok, Niall," Harry replied, not wanting to see anyone get hurt. "Let's just get this over with and he can leave, ok."  
"Fine!" Niall replied, opening the door, but still glaring at Zayn.  
Once Zayn entered the home, they stood in the hallway, and Harry crossed his arms in anger and asked, "How'd I use you? Is it for helping me? Do you want money or something?"  
"No." Zayn looked at Niall. "Let's talk privately about this."  
Harry stayed planted where he was and replied, "No. I already told him everything, so anything you need to say to me, you can say in front of Niall."  
"Everything? Even about me?" Once Harry nodded, Zayn added, "Oh, so that's why you called me a homophobe."  
"When did you call him that?" Harry asked, confused about that bit of information.  
"I texted him, so yeah... we won't tell anyone about you, if that's what you're worried about," Niall responded, hoping this would be the end of it and now Zayn would leave.  
"No. I deserve an explanation," Zayn remained in his spot, looking like he was not going to move anytime soon.  
"Fine. If you explain what you mean, then I'll tell you so you can leave already." Harry spoke the words, but they tugged at his heart since he didn't really want him to leave.  
"Why did you kiss me if you sleep around?"  
Harry and Niall both shared the same expression before Harry replied, "I don't sleep around. Why do you think that?"  
"Harry, you made me believe that you're innocent, a virgin or whatever, but I was just another guy right?"  
Harry didn't even know how he found the words to speak, when his heart was breaking, his chest filling with pain as it felt like it was literally breaking apart. "I am a virgin. Why... who said..."  
"Don't lie to me! Liam told me the truth about you, that you whore yourself..."  
"F uck you!" Harry screamed, his tears spilling out of his eyes harder now as he clutched his chest, his heart pounding so hard that he felt like he was going to faint. He ran towards his room and flung himself onto his bed, no longer caring about Zayn or anyone. He was so done with it all.  
Zayn stood in shock. Harry had just cussed at him. His sweet, innocent boy had just cussed and Zayn didn't understand why it hurt him so bad.  
"Zayn, you are an arsehole. After what Harry told me, you of all people should know how much false rumors can hurt." It was Niall's voice that snapped Zayn back into reality.  
"What do you mean?"  
"Isn't it obvious? They're hateful rumors that were spread to hurt Harry. They were started by idiots and the people who believe them are bigger idiots."  
Zayn did indeed feel like an idiot. Niall was right. He should've talked to Harry first because they were all now hurting over the stupid rumor.   
"You can show yourself out." Niall started walking towards Harry's room, but Zayn held him back with his arm.  
"I'll go. I hurt him, so I need to make him better."  
"I don't think that's a good idea."  
"Please, Niall. I- I really like him and if I leave, I might not get him back."  
Niall didn't know why he believed him... if it was the tone of his voice or the look in his eyes, but he nodded and let him. "Just please don't hurt him anymore."  
"I won't."  
Zayn walked in and knelt beside Harry's bed, staring into the boy's tearful green eyes. "Please forgive me, Curly. Please, I'm sorry. I'm so stupid." He brushed his fingers through the curls by Harry's forehead. "Please give me another chance."  
"Who cares anyway?" Harry gasped through his tears. "You think I'm a whore."  
"I'm an idiot for saying that. I don't think you're a whore, I know you better than that. I'm so sorry. You're such a sweet and innocent person. I KNOW THE REAL YOU. Please say you forgive me."  
"You hate me because I'm gay."  
"No. I like you because you're a great person and I would be so proud if you'd be my boyfriend."  
Harry was again in shock. His eyes were wide and he darted his tongue out to moisten his lips as he felt so nervous now. "What?"  
"I want you to be my boyfriend." Zayn was smiling now, adamant about letting Harry know how serious he was about the issue. "I want to make you happy. I never wanna see you cry again." Zayn followed his words by placing a small kiss to Harry's lips.  
Harry closed his eyes as the euphoric sensation of Zayn's kiss swept through his body. He longed to keep kissing Zayn, but he had pulled back too soon.  
"So, what d'ya say, Curly? Will you be mine?"  
Harry's dimples sunk deeply into his cheeks when he heard his nickname and his lips formed into a smile. "You know I can't resist when you call me that."  
"Hmm, Curly?" Zayn asked already knowing the answer. Once Harry nodded, Zayn continued, "So, what d'ya say, Curly? Be my boyfriend, Curly. Let me make you so happy, Curly."  
Harry was chuckling now, the sound melting Zayn's heart. How he had missed that laugh and now that he heard it, he wanted to make sure Harry continued to laugh. "Ok, yes. You can stop saying it now."  
"Ok, Curly. I'll stop calling you Curly."  
Harry was giggling now. "You're so crazy."  
"So you forgive me, Harry? You forgive me for being an arse?"  
"Yeah..." Harry scooted on the bed, allowing Zayn room to lay down beside him. "...come here." Zayn obliged and laid himself on the bed facing Harry. " I missed you today."  
Zayn smiled widely at Harry's words, knowing he felt the same way. Even though he was angry, he missed his sweet green-eyed boy. "I missed you too. I'm so sorry for today. I promise I won't hurt you like that again." He swiped his thumbs under Harry's eyes, trying to dry some of his tears. "I don't ever want to you to cry again. If you do, I want them to be tears of joy."  
Harry's heart was swelling at Zayn's tender words and his sweet carresses. How he longed to tell him how much he was in love with him, but he bit his tongue. He and Zayn were still treading dangerous waters, so he had to be careful about letting things progress slowly or else he would lose Zayn again. "Just promise me if you ever doubt anything about me, please talk to me first instead of ignoring me. That hurt me worse than anything."  
"I promise." Zayn sealed that promise with a kiss, but when he tried to pull away, Harry grabbed onto his shirt, reattaching their lips together. Now that he was kissing Zayn again, he didn't want to stop.  
However, as Harry and Zayn were busy snogging in the reconciliation, they had no clue of what Niall had done. They had no idea that Niall was on a roll of speaking his mind and he had sent a nasty text message to Liam, putting a lot of the blame on his shoulders for causing their argument today because of spreading rumors.  
To Liam: You should think before you spread hateful rumors. Don't ever talk to me again!


	22. A misunderstanding

So now as Harry and Zayn's snog continued, things began to get heated as their tongues continued to duel in their kissing. Initially, Harry had been laying curled up in Zayn's arms, kissing his lips softly, but now Zayn was hovering over the younger boy, his lips devouring his in their intense snog.  
Zayn pressed his body into Harry's, pinning him to his mattress, their hands intertwined in the others' hands. Harry's breathing sped up and now he was panting, completely lost in his boyfriend's lips. He smiled into the kiss, realizing Zayn was officially his boyfriend now. How he longed to shout it from the rooftops that this dark-haired bad boy was his. Harry was trying so hard to calm himself down, to show Zayn that he wasn't anything like the rumors spread about him, but his control flew out the window when he felt Zayn's groin press into his. Zayn felt too perfect between his legs, so he spread them wider, encouraging his boyfriend to keep thrusting his body into him.  
Zayn's hands had now slipped under the younger lad's shirt and his hands roamed over his chest, exploring the firm, yet soft planes of Harry's body. It still surprised him how soft Harry's body was, but it was nice to feel his skin especially when he now knew it belonged to his boyfriend. His hands roamed upwards and brushed against his nipples, then they made their way down his sides, causing Harry to giggle. "You ticklish here?" Zayn asked, testing his theory by repeating the same touch causing the younger boy to giggle again, squirming under his fingers.  
"Hmm, noooooo." Harry attempted to deny the fact by forcing a straight face as he stretched the o in no.  
"Mmm, I don't believe you. I think you are." Zayn again repeated the tickle to his sides. This time Harry couldn't deny it as he laughed louder and fought to push Zayn's hands off of him.  
"Ok...ok!" Harry screamed. "I am! I am! Please stop!"  
"I might've if you hadn't lied to me." Zayn again tickled the same spot and added, "I think you need some punishment."  
"Zayn! Oh my..." Harry continued laughing loudly as Zayn attacked his most sensitive spots. "Sorry! I'm sorry!"  
Niall had been anxious about Zayn apologizing to Harry the entire time he was seated in the living room and sprung up from his seat and raced to Harry's bedroom door, knocking loudly, once he heard Harry screaming. "Harry, you ok?"  
Harry was laughing loudly still, not hearing Niall's pleas. Niall knocked again before barging into his room. "Harry!"  
Zayn stopped his actions and Harry shot up as much as he could from Zayn's body pinning him down. "Yeah?" The green-eyed boy asked.  
"I wanted to know if you were ok?" Niall glared at Zayn, still obviously upset with him over today's events. Zayn just smiled in response, still finding Niall's sour attitude towards him hilarious.   
Harry nodded, rearranging his clothing, trying to compose himself and responded, "Yeah, Niall. We're all right. We'll be out in a few ok."  
"Ok, Haz. Let me know if you need anything." Niall made his way out of the room, completely ignoring Zayn's presence.  
Zayn chuckled into Harry's neck and placed a kiss there. "i'm gonna have to make it up to Lil Irish. He's really mad at me."  
"Well, can you blame him? You did break his best friend's heart today."  
"Oh, you have a heart?" Zayn teased.  
"Of course I do... but I think I might need a new boyfriend since this one is such a pain." Harry teased back, gripping onto Zayn's sides until he managed to flip their positions and hover over him, with Zayn laying flat on his back. Zayn, of course, allowed him to do it since he was physically stronger than Harry, but there was something that turned him on so much from seeing Harry above him.  
"Aww...come on. You know you like your boyfriend too much to trade me in."  
Harry smirked in response, his dimples sinking into his cheeks. What an understatement. Harry didn't just like Zayn, he was head-over-heels in love with the older boy, but again he stopped himself from saying anything for fear of scaring him off. "Yeah, you're lucky I do." Harry pressed his hands at Zayn's sides, stroking the warm flesh hoping to set off a tickle spot, but Zayn had no reaction.  
"Yeah, besides, you have to let me make it up to you."  
"Make it up to me, how?" Harry stroked Zayn's upper body now, applying a tickling pressure to Zayn's neck, but again his boyfriend didn't squirm one bit.  
"On our date. I wanna wine and dine you... maybe take you to a movie or something...Hey!" Zayn's eyes widened with his question. "Are you trying to tickle me?"  
Harry laughed nervously, knowing he had been caught, but did his best to deny it. "No, of course not." He tried his best to lie, but he knew he was blushing horribly from being caught, so it was a guarantee Zayn would notice.  
He was proven right when Zayn said, "You're still a shit liar you know. I see right through you."  
Harry laughed in response. "You're right, sorry."  
"I'm not ticklish, so you might as well give up."  
"Ok, fine." Harry wrapped his arms around his boyfriend's waist and laid his head on his chest. Zayn, in turn, lifted his arms to accomodate the younger boy and wrapped his arms around his shoulders. Harry didn't know exactly what prompted his next action, but he soon found himself tickling Zayn's underarms and felt delighted when Zayn began squirming. "I knew you had a tickle spot!"   
"Harr-Harry! Stop!" Zayn was laughing loudly now and pushing at his hands.  
Harry just laughed in return, continuing to tickle him. "Nope. You lied Zayn and that deserves punishment."  
"Oh, I'll show you punishment!" he shouted in between giggles.  
Harry panicked at Zayn's words, worried over what "punishment" Zayn had in mind for him, so while he tickled him, he was strategizing how to get away from his boyfriend. He eyed his door, silently thanking Niall that it wasn't closed all the way and jumped at the opportunity of running away safely. He sprung up into action, racing through the door, shouting, "Niall! Help!"  
Niall stood up from his seat, a scared expression plastered on his face, as he watched Harry race towards him. "What-"  
Niall had no time to react as he watched Zayn hot on Harry's heels before wrapping his arms around Harry, falling on top of him onto the couch. Niall was worried over the scene in front of him, not sure if his best friend was being hurt until he heard the younger boy's laughter. Harry was actually laughing as Zayn tickled him and placed some kisses on his face and neck. Niall smiled at the scene before him, realizing they both looked happy, so they must have reconciled, until Harry laughed so hard that he started coughing.   
Zayn kept tickling him, not realizing there was anything wrong until Niall shouted, "Zayn, stop! He can't breathe!"  
Niall sprung into action, searching through Harry's backpack pulling out his inhaler, shaking it handing it over to Harry.  
Harry breathed in the medicine from his inhaler and Zayn watched in shock and backed away from him. He saw that Harry was coughing loudly, his face was a deep red, and his eyes were full of tears. He immediately felt angry with himself. He should've noticed that his boyfriend was having trouble breathing. "Oh god Harry...I'm so sorry," Zayn pleaded holding one of Harry's hands.  
Harry, in turn, squeezed Zayn's hand in reassurance. "It's ok." He coughed some more and felt relieved once his lungs began inflating again and he could breathe normally. "I'm sorry. I can't even play around without having one of these stupid attacks."  
"Don't be sorry, Curly." Zayn used his thumb to stroke his lower lip, kissing it softly and Harry had to stop himself from swooning at the sweet gesture. "It's all my fault. I should've stopped... please forgive me."  
Harry smiled at Zayn. "There's nothing to forgive, really."  
Zayn's smile had now been replaced by a frown as he replied, "I'm sorry. That's three times now I've hurt you."  
"What'd'ya mean?" The younger boy again coughed through a tickle in his throat.  
"The first time we kissed you stopped breathing... then I made you cry today from my stupidity... and now this. I'm the worst boyfriend in the world."  
Niall had made his way into the kitchen, pouring Harry a glass of water, and his eyes widened in shock as he heard Zayn say 'boyfriend.' The Irish lad raced back towards them, handing Harry the glass full of water, asking, "Did'ya just say boyfriend?"  
Harry nodded as he drank from the glass. "Yeah." Harry removed his hand from Zayn's grip and ran it down Zayn's cheek. "He's the best boyfriend in the world."  
Zayn stared at Harry now with a smile stretched across his face. "So when did this happen?"  
"Just today. We're boyfriends now... I mean if you still wanna be."  
Zayn nodded. "Of course I do." He followed his words with a kiss to Harry's forehead. "You're the best boyfriend in the world."  
Harry's dimples sunk so far into his cheeks from his huge smile and Zayn wrapped his arms around the younger lad, nestling his head on his chest. They stayed cuddled like that for a bit, while the TV played in the background, when Zayn turned to Harry and asked, "You ok babe? You need anything more to drink? You hungry?"  
Harry nodded. "Yeah, can you get me some more water. Make yourself a snack too if you're hungry."  
"OK." Zayn kissed his forehead and stood up. "How about I make us some popcorn and grab some chips."  
"That would be lovely." Harry smiled at his boyfriend and Zayn made his way to the kitchen.   
"Well, aren't ya both so cute." Niall gushed.  
Harry turned to his best friend and replied in a low tone, "Yeah, I like him so much, Niall...can't believe I almost lost him today. Thanks for texting him. We might've still been ignoring each other if you hadn't done that."  
"It's no problem, Hazza. I just hope he doesn't hurt ya anymore." Niall answered in a tone as low as his, and looked down at his cell phone and frowned.  
"I don't think he will... Umm, Niall... what's the matter?"  
Niall hesitated on how to tell Harry that he had texted Liam also, so now Liam was calling his cell phone repeatedly, sending him numerous texts, and leaving voicemails. He even had to shut off his ringtone, so his cell would stop alerting so much. "Umm, nothing."   
"You sure, Nialler. You know you can tell me anything."  
Niall sighed, still unsure of how to even begin to tell Harry about his issue with Liam, and wondered if he should even bother since he had ended his relationship with the lad. "It's just...umm... do you know how to block a number?" Harry eyed him curiously, so Niall added. "It's just this number. I...umm... told them they had the wrong number, but they keep calling and it's annoying."  
"Sure, hand me your phone." Niall scooted over on the seat, handing over his phone. He made sure to peer over Harry's shoulder to make sure he was just blocking the number and not reading the numerous messages.  
Just then, Zayn reached them, carrying a bowl of chips with dip and glasses of water for Harry and Niall. "Hey babe, brought you some more water." He bent down and pecked Harry's lips causing the curly-haired boy to smile. He then handed a glass-full to Niall. "Got you one too."  
"Oh!" Niall was suprised that Zayn was considerate enough to remember him as well. "Thanks."  
"No problem." Zayn bent down again to give Harry another quick peck on the lips, but this time, Harry grabbed onto the back of his head, urging his lips back to his. He deepened the kiss, his tongue roaming inside Zayn's mouth briefly before he moaned into his mouth.   
When Harry finally pulled away, he was smiling widely and licked his lips. "Mmm, hurry back."  
Zayn, himself, was grinning madly when the kiss ended. He actually felt wobbly at his knees... Harry's kiss had actually done that to him. He'd never been kissed like that before and he wondered if he'd ever feel like this about anyone other than Harry. "OK, be right back." Zayn was amazed at how good he felt at that moment. He practically floated on the way back to the kitchen to get their bowl of popcorn from the microwave. He was still in awe as he poured the popcorn into a bowl, grinning at his boyfriend and how the younger boy made him feel so wonderfully just from one kiss.  
Sure, he had kissed girls previously - one when he was younger and there was a girl in his fifth grade class who really liked him and the other a girl who he had met at his cousin's wedding - but no one ever made him feel as good as Harry did.  
Harry completed the task of blocking the phone number from Niall's phone, but not before memorizing the phone number. "So do you know the person who keeps calling you?"  
Niall hesitated for a moment, before shaking his head in response. "I have no clue. I just know it's a wrong number."  
Harry eyed his best friend curiously. He wasn't sure why he doubted Niall, but there was something about the way Niall was acting that made him so curious. He knew as soon as the other two lads were gone home, he would call the number to find out if his suspicions were true. "You sure it's not someone bothering you?" Harry asked.  
Zayn approached the best friends and asked, "Who's bothering you, Irish? You need me to kick their arse?"  
Niall chuckled in response. "It's nothing. It was just an annoying wrong number."  
"Ok, well tell me and I'll deal with 'em."  
"Thanks, Zayn... but really it's nothing to worry about."  
Zayn dropped the subject as he seated himself back on the couch beside Harry and pulled his boyfriend to sit in between his legs, while balancing the bowl of their snack in the other hand. Harry giggled at how easily Zayn was able to manhandle him and place him where he wanted him to be seated. He didn't even realize he was blushing until Zayn whispered in his ear, "Stop blushing or I might have to do things to you that will shock Niall."  
Harry giggled in response, before replying, "You wouldn't."  
"Of course I would." Zayn placed a kiss to his neck and pulled his body closer to his, Harry's back pulled flush against his chest area. Harry's jaw dropped and Zayn shoved a handful of popcorn into his mouth.  
"Hey!" Harry mumbled through his mouthful of the snack.  
"What? Didn't want you catching flies."  
Niall had moved to sit in front of the coffee table as he worked on his homework. He continued to sneak peeks at the couple, smiling at their cuteness. Zayn fed Harry a lot of snacks and they shared a bunch of kisses and for some reason, his mind wandered to Liam.  
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~  
Liam stared at his phone in confusion, still mulling over Niall's message. The first message he received read:  
To Liam: You should think before you spread hateful rumors. Don't ever talk to me again!  
Liam was giving himself a headache mulling over what Niall meant by the text. He had to be mistaken because as far as he knew, he hadn't been spreading any rumors. He had just finished practice, when he checked his phone and felt shocked at the sight of Niall's text. He immediately started sending text responses to Niall, asking him what was wrong and what he meant by the message, but Niall never responded back. He was currently in the middle of sending another text, when Louis asked him, "Hey, you coming with us to eat?"  
Liam didn't even hesitate when he replied, "Next time, mate. I've gotta go deal with something."  
After waving their goodbyes, Liam rushed to his car and started calling Niall. He was deeply confused and was now feeling hurt when his calls just went to his voicemail. At first his voicemails seemed friendly like, "Hey Ni, It's Liam. Give me a call please." Then they began to get desperate, "Please Niall. Just talk to me. What did I do wrong? Please just tell me." Liam kept getting more frustrated and punched his steering wheel, screaming as the pain shot through his knuckles.  
Now he was in pain, feeling confused and close to tears. He shot another text.  
To Niall: Please just tell me and I'll stop calling.  
Finally, fate had bestowed some kindness when Niall texted back.  
To Liam: Your plan didnt work. Me Harry & Zayn are still friends so stop calling!  
Liam was even more shocked when he received this message. What did he mean by that? He never tried to break up their friendship. Maybe Niall found out that he didn't care much for Harry, but he never tried to break up their friendship. But why did he mention Zayn too? Did he miss something?  
He shot more texts out, asking Niall to explain himself. He wanted Niall to clarify exactly what Liam had to do with their friendship. He texted away and almost screamed in frustration when his phone kept notifying him that his messages were undelivered. What? Did Niall just really block him? He called to test his theory, and just as he worried, his call rang once and went straight to voicemail.  
Liam drove himself home, immediately going to his room and shutting himself in. There was a clue as to who might know what was going on with Niall...Zayn. The last message did say his name, so he texted him as he began changing out of his football uniform.  
To Zayn: Whats going on with Niall ? ? ?  
Zayn had been cuddling with Harry, running his hands through the boy's curls when he heard his text notification. Harry and Zayn both stared at his phone, but Zayn blocked his boyfriend from viewing the message, and replied back:  
To Liam: What u mean  
To Zayn: Niall isnt talking to me! Y????  
To Liam: I have no clue  
Zayn looked at Niall, the Irish lad focused on his homework, scratching his head at working through one of his questions.  
To Zayn: Is he with u? Can u please find out???? Please!  
Zayn didn't want to reveal that he was with Niall, so he replied:  
To Liam: I will call him 2nite & let u know. What happened  
To Zayn: Thanks. He said something about me spreading rumors but I didnt  
Just then, Zayn realized what the misunderstanding must have been. He wondered if Niall blamed Liam for telling him about the rumors involving Harry. He would love to find out what Niall had said exactly to get Liam so flustered. He was going to have to ask him, but he couldn't do it in front of Harry.   
Luckily, a few minutes later, Harry announced he was going to use the loo and Zayn thanked his lucky stars because he was dying to find out what happened. "Be right back." Harry said and placed a kiss on Zayn's lips.  
"Hurry back," Zayn replied, even though he wanted Harry to take his time so he could satisfy his curiosity.  
As soon as Harry closed himself in the bathroom, Zayn asked, "So what's going on with you and Liam?"  
Niall looked up from his assignment, a shock look sprawled all over his face. "What'd'ya mean?"  
"Liam just texted me and wants to know why you're upset with him."  
Niall lowered his gaze, feeling uncomfortable that Zayn was staring at him so intensely. "It's nothing," Niall replied, shrugging his shoulders.  
"You better expalin it quick cause Harry's gonna be outta the loo any moment and I'm sure you don't wanna have this conversation in front of him."  
Niall shook his head, wordlessly responding to his question. "I just told Liam I didn't want ta be his friend anymore because of the rumors about Harry."  
"But you know I asked Liam to tell me, so it's not his fault."  
"Well, it wasn't right."  
"You're blaming the wrong person, Niall. Liam was just being a good friend and telling me the truth. I don't think you should stop talking to him over that."  
Niall thought over this new information for a bit before replying, "Maybe you're right. I'll think it over."   
"Ok, Niall, you do that. Liam's a good guy and a good friend."  
"Well, I'll think about it ok."  
"Ok. I hope you make the right decision. He's kinda freaking out right now..."  
Zayn's sentence was interrupted as Harry made his way out of the bathroom. He seated himself back in between Zayn's legs and Zayn cuddled him and Niall wished he could have a relationship like theirs. His mind then flooded with sadness over how Liam must be feeling now, but at the same time, he wondered why Liam even cared. No one ever wanted to get to know Niall, so why would Liam be sad anyway?  
When Anne returned home, she eyed the boys curiously. Niall was still seated on the floor in front of the couch, but what caused her to pause in her steps, was the sight of Harry sprawled on top of Zayn as the dark-haired boy lay against the cushions of the couch. She smirked as she thought, Zayn's straight my arse. She knew she was going to have to find out what was happening with her son and his protector, but she was going to have to go about it discreetly.  
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~  
That evening after Anne dropped off the boys, Zayn made his way into his room for some privacy before calling Liam. He almost chuckled out loudly when Liam picked up on the second ring, as if he had been anxiously waiting by his phone for the call.  
"Hey Zayn, so what'd he say?" Liam asked, urgently.  
"Well, apparently he seems to think you were spreading rumors about Harry."  
"What? Why would he think that? Did you say something? Did you tell him it's not true?" Liam seemed ecstatic as he asked Zayn.  
"Well, it's kinda my fault. I did tell him that you told me because I asked you, but he thought you were just spreading rumors."  
"Why would he think that? Did you tell him I told you?"  
"Umm, it just kinda come up in conversation today. Don't worry though. I talked to him. He said give him some time to think about everything and he'll be back to being your friend again."  
"You sure man? I don't want him to hate me."  
"I'm sure. So what's going on with you and lil Irish anyway?"  
Liam stuttered his response, surprised by his question. "Wh-what you mean?"  
"I've never seen you freak out this bad."  
Liam chuckled nervously. "It's, umm, I don't like people mad at me. I try to be friendly to everyone."  
"Oh ok," Zayn replied. He grabbed his paint brush and started to add details to Harry's portrait. Zayn was happy with how the piece was coming along, especially since this was the best work he'd ever done on a painting. He could practically feel Harry's blush through the paint and he grinned at the beautiful boy, so grateful that he had such a great boyfriend.  
The two boys continued to talk for a little bit longer before saying their goodbyes and hanging up. Zayn worked on the portrait a while longer before going to bed. Harry had told him he was turning in early because of the emotional day he had today, so he fell asleep thinking about the gorgeous green-eyed boy with the luscious curly hair.  
Liam had also gone to bed with an abundance of thoughts flooding his mind. His main thought was Zayn's question: What was going on with him and Niall? Why did he actually freak out so badly over Niall ending their friendship? He knew it had only been a day of knowing the lad, but he just knew that Niall was a good person to have in his life. He was sweet and thoughtful and had the most beautiful blue eyes he'd ever seen... wait what? He shook the thought out of his head. What the hell was he thinking?


	23. Perfect

When morning rolled around, Niall arrived at Harry's house as per their daily routine. Niall walked in looking better rested than he did yesterday and Harry questioned him as soon as he sat down on the couch.  
"Hey Niall. Did that person bother you again?"  
"What? Oh, um, no. He didn't call after you blocked him."  
Harry smirked at his response that he did indicate the caller was a boy. Harry had actually called that number last night and was surprised at who answered. As he stared at Niall, his conversation played in his mind.  
Harry had dialed the number and the person had picked up on the second ring. "Hello," he had spoken.  
Harry tried to recall who the caller was and hesitated for a few moments.  
"Hello," the boy spoke again.  
"Umm, sorry. Who is this?" Harry finally asked.  
"Umm Liam... you called me."  
Harry was shocked, but still managed to reply. "So-sorry wrong number," and hung up the call.  
Harry now stared a while longer at Niall, wondering how he would bring up the topic of Liam. Before he could stop himself, he was already speaking. "Niall, I know about Liam."  
Niall's jaw literally dropped. His mouth had drooped down as he closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. Harry knew his friend was about to lie since he was avoiding eye contact. "Ok."  
"Niall, I called that blocked number last night and Liam answered. What's going on? You know you can tell me anything."  
The blond-haired boy sighed in apparent frustration and shrugged his shoulders. "I just don't want to be his friend anymore."  
"Ok, but why?"  
Niall thought over his response. Should he actually tell Harry that Liam didn't like him and was spreading rumors? That he was pretty sure that Liam had hated Harry enough to try to end their frienship with Zayn? No, he couldn't hurt his best friend. Harry had been so happy to be Zayn's boyfriend now and he knew he would feel guilty if he upset him. "He's not a nice person like I thought he was."  
"Why? I wanna know what he did."  
Again Niall shrugged his shoulders. "I don't wanna talk about it."  
"It's ok to tell me. I know he doesn't like me. Did he say or do something? I also know he told Zayn the rumors about me."  
"Yeah, he did. He's such an arse Harry. He never should've said that. Zayn was mad at you for no reason and it's his fault."  
"You're right, Nialler. But look at the good that came out of it." Niall smirked at Harry's words. Leave it to his best friend to find good in something so crappy. "Zayn is now my boyfriend and I couldn't be happier."  
"Yeah, but I still think he did it to hurt you... and besides, you're my best friend. I don't need to be friends with anyone who doesn't like you."  
"Aww Niall." Harry gushed as he hugged him and placed a kiss atop his blond hair. "I love you too."  
"You better." Niall chuckled and returned the hug, ruffling his hand through his curls, moving them out of their style.  
"Hey now! Watch the hair. This took a long time to perfect." Harry joked, running his fingers through his hair in an attempt to fix the stray tendrils.  
"Oh yeah, wouldn't want your boyfriend to be disappointed," Niall teased.  
"Of course not. I'll never forgive you if he dumps me cause of bad hair."

Once at school, Harry became anxious once Louis dropped them off at the entrance of the school. His eyes searched through the many faces of students walking by, as he looked for his boyfriend. When his eyes landed on the raven-haired boy, he instinctively reached out and grabbed Niall's arm.  
Niall watched as the happiness shaped every crevice of Harry's face and Zayn's face sported the same ridiculous grin. He giggled at how they seemed to get lost in their own world, completely oblivious to anyone around them.  
Once Zayn reached them, his eyes were still trained on Harry. "Hi."  
Harry blushed as he replied, "Hi."  
Then Zayn replied again, "Hi."  
Niall chuckled now at how distracted they seemed and before Harry could respond back, probably with another 'Hi,' he interrupted them. "You already said that... so hello to both of you."  
"Oh right," Zayn replied, still focusing on Harry. "Come here," he motioned to Harry.  
"You sure?" Harry surveyed the area, wondering what he had in mind. He was almost positive that Zayn wouldn't kiss them in front of all these people, since they had agreed to still keep their relationship a secret.  
"Yeah." Harry walked up to the older boy and once he stood in front of him, Zayn's wrapped him up in a hug, which he responded instinctively in embracing him as well.   
"Zayn..." Harry replied, breathlessly. He was so caught off guard that he almost forgot how to speak. "...but..."  
"Shh, 's okay. Friends hug too." Zayn then whispered the rest of his words into his ear. "Besides, how else can I touch you without it being weird? I wanna kiss you so bad right now, you have no idea."  
Harry felt a little brave to respond to Zayn, even though the blush only deepened at Zayn's admittance of what he wanted. So he whispered, "Probably not as much as I want to kiss you."  
"Yeah?" Zayn asked, looking at his boyfriend nestled in his arms. Harry nodded and Zayn just hugged him closer to his body, not knowing how to articulate exactly how he was feeling. How would he begin to tell Harry that he was so happy with him, that later when they were alone, he was going to devour his lips and probably leave tons of hickies on his body as they snogged? His boyfriend was still so innocent in his eyes, so he kept his mouth closed so he wouldn't scare him away.  
Niall then cleared his throat beside them. "In case you two haven't realized, that was the first bell. We need to get to class now."  
Zayn and Harry both chuckled before releasing their embrace. "I didn't even hear it," Zayn admitted.  
"Me neither."  
Zayn then threw his arm over Harry's shoulders and walked up to Niall doing the same to him. "Come on boys, let's get to class now." Zayn had said that in a sarcastic manner and as he walked, sandwiched in between both boys, their shared laughter boomed down the hallway on the way to Harry's class room.   
Niall had pulled himself out of Zayn's hold and waved. "See ya later guys."  
"See ya later Nialler," Harry called out.  
"Bye, Irish," Zayn called out, causing Niall to shake his head as he walked towards his own class room. Zayn and his nicknames, he thought as he smiled while he walked.  
"And I'll see you after class," Zayn spoke to Harry, his eyes focused on the blush that had seemed to permanently reside on his face. His boyfriend looked so adorable like that and he just knew he was going to be the death of him.  
"Definitely." Harry waved as Zayn walked away and they called out a 'bye' to each other as Harry floated to his seat. He pulled his textbook out from his bag, placed it on his desk, and stared at its cover, grinning madly as he thought about his boyfriend.  
His friend, Maggie, was already in her seat and watched him. She smiled and asked, "Having a good day so far?"  
Harry nodded. "Yeah." He continued smiling, anxiously waiting for the class to be over, so he could see his gorgeous boyfriend.  
Once the bell rang, signalling the end of the class, Harry became ecstatic again, knowing Zayn was coming to walk him to his next class. He was surprised, however, when he stood up from his seat after placing all his materials back in his bag, and spun around to find Zayn leaning against the doorway, already waiting for him. Harry grinned madly as he walked towards his secret boyfriend. "Hi," he greeted.  
"Hi," Zayn replied back. He was grinning widely now at the sight of Maggie's reaction. She had called out a goodbye to Harry, but his boyfriend seemed to not be aware of this, so the smile on her face dropped. He wasn't sure how much animosity he still had for the girl, since it was obvious that Harry was his and would never be hers, but it still boosted his ego that Harry had all his attention focused just on him. "I have to use the loo before we go, ok."  
Harry nodded, completely speechless as Zayn wrapped his arm around his lower back and escorted him towards the nearest restroom. "I can just wait for you out here," Harry said, once they were in front of the boys' bathroom.  
"No you won't." Zayn stood behind Harry, holding onto his shoulders as he guided him inside. Zayn did a quick survey of their surroundings, so grateful that he didn't see anyone around them. He grabbed onto Harry's hand, pulling him into the last stall, furthest from the door. Once he locked the door behind him, he pressed his lips to Harry's, his tongue gaining entrance into his mouth immediately when the younger boy gasped at the sudden affection.  
Harry responded beautifully as he grasped onto Zayn's shirt, urging his body to press closer to his. They kissed for a bit longer before Zayn pried his mouth away and rested his forehead against Harry's. "Wow," Harry responded rather loudly, still shocked over the intense kissing.  
"Shh!" Zayn kissed his cheek. He then whispered in his ear, "I couldn't hold back anymore. You look so damn hot today, that I had to kiss you... so this is all your fault, by the way." He was chuckling when he finished his sentence.  
Harry joined in on the laughter, but whispered his words. "It's all right. I just wish I would've known about it. I wouldn't have been so surprised."  
"But where's the fun in that? I like catching you off guard."  
"Oh, do you now?" Harry asked and Zayn shook his head. "That's really funny that you try to blame this on me, when you're the hottest boy in this school."  
"No..." the older boy shook his head, kissing along his neck. "...you are."  
Harry chuckled again, trying to quiet the sound with his hand over his mouth. Zayn kissed a sweet spot by the curve of his neck and Harry felt his heart race and his breathing quicken as his jeans began to tighten near his groin area. His boyfriend was turning him on so much that Harry had to force out his words. "May-maybe we should get going...be-before we're late."  
Zayn only agreed because he was getting just as turned on. It was really surprising him how easily Harry could do this to him, with his shy moments and blushes, and yet he did something to him that he couldn't even explain. "All right." Zayn pecked his lips once more before surveying the bathroom area again, making sure the coast was clear as he led his boyfriend out and they headed towards their next stop.  
The two spent their class time thinking of the other and were snapped back to reality once they met up for Zayn to walk with Harry. This continued through lunch. Harry sat in between Zayn and Niall, with Zayn's arm stroking his lower back as they talked. They tried their best at making every interaction look friendly, but they sat closely through their conversation.  
Niall had been staring at the couple, trying to disregard the fact that they were so in tuned to each other, that neither was really paying any attention to him. That is until a voice behind Niall asked, "Niall, can I talk to you?"  
Niall turned to look at Liam, his breath catching from nerves, before responding. "I don't think that's a good idea." The Irish boy then locked his blue eyes with Harry's green ones, conveying to his best friend how uneasy he felt.  
"Please Niall. I just wanna talk," Liam tried again.  
"He doesn't want to. Maybe you should go," Harry answered when Niall remained quiet, obviously ignoring Liam.  
Liam just rolled his eyes and clenched his jaw in annoyance with Harry's interference. "Please Niall. I promise I'll make it quick."  
"He doesn't want to. Leave him alone," Harry defended his best friend.  
Liam turned to Harry, his annoyed and frustrated look focused on Harry as he replied, "I'm talking to him!" Liam pointed at Niall before continuing, "Not you, ok!"  
"Hey-" Zayn snapped at his friend, about to stand up for his boyfriend when Niall interrupted his chivalrous act.  
"Look Liam!" Niall began, his tone the same angry one he used on Zayn yesterday. "Just because I don't wanna talk ta ya, doesn't mean ya have the right ta be rude to Harry!"  
Liam was shocked at first at Niall's outrage, but then he lowered his head in shame from the Irish lad's words. "You're absolutely right." He then turned to Harry, "I'm sorry Harry. I had no right to snap at you." His words shocked everyone, moreso Niall, who sat there with an obvious baffled expression on his face, his jaw practically touched the ground.  
"It's fine," Harry responded, even though his demeanor proved he was still mad.  
"Please Niall... please just like two minutes to talk." Liam held up his index and middle fingers, indicating the two minutes he was requesting.  
"Fine," Niall puffed out in annoyance. "I'll give ya two minutes, and then I won't have anything more to say to ya."  
Liam's grin grew so wide it could probably been seen from space. "Thanks, Niall! I promise you won't regret it."  
Liam then stood up, stretching his hand out for Niall to take. Niall looked at his hand curiously and asked, "Where are we going?"  
"To talk in private."  
Niall looked at Harry for reassurance, silently asking him his opinion of going with him. Harry nodded, already able to read his best friend's silent questions, before replying, "We'll be here if you need us, ok." Harry pointed to himself and Zayn to reassure the Irish boy.  
"OK," Niall took Liam's hands and Liam's smile widened even wider, however he happened to manage that.  
Harry gripped Zayn's knee and gasped in excitement after they walked away. "Oh my god, Zayn!"  
Zayn chuckled in response, eyeing his boyfriend curiously. "What?"  
"Don't you know what this means?"  
"What are you going on about?"  
"It's so obvious... Liam likes Niall." Harry stared at his dark-haired boyfriend, wondering how in the world he didn't see it.  
"Yeah. He's trying to get his friendship back."  
"No, likes as in he LIKES him."  
"What? No way. Liam's not like that."  
"How do you know? Have you ever seen him with a girlfriend?"   
"No, but I don't go keeping track of his personal life."  
"Aww, really? He's your best friend Zayn. You should know these things. I know exactly how many times Niall has dated and how many crushes he's had since we've been friends." Obviously Niall had numerous crushes, but never dated anyone, but he wasn't going to reveal his personal life.  
"Poor Niall," Zayn chuckled before he even finished his own joke. "I hope you never end up blackmailing him with that info." Harry responded with a playful smack to his upper arm. "Me and Liam aren't that close, I guess."  
"Yeah, Z. It just adds to your bad boy persona. You have a friend, but you know nothing about him."  
Harry was dying from laughter at his lame joke, but Zayn just rolled his eyes. "Ha...ha...ha," he replied sarcastically. "Whatever Mr. Sassy Pants. Keep it up and you won't get anymore kisses from me," he whispered.  
Harry's hands shot up in protest. "Ok, ok! I'll stop!"  
"You better." Zayn replied, sticking his tongue out in added emphasis of his teasing.  
Harry dropped the subject with Zayn, but he knew he was going to investigate how much Liam actually liked his best friend. Harry didn't even know if Niall had ever thought about being with a boy in any intimate matter, so he knew he would have to find out immediately so no one would get hurt.

"Thanks for talking to me, Niall," Liam spoke once he felt they had reached a secluded-enough spot for their talk.  
"I's no problem. So...umm... what di'ya have to say?"  
"Umm... I'm just sorry how everything turned out and I want you to give me another chance to be your friend again. I don't have a speech ready or anything and don't really know what else to say other than I won't let it happen again. I didn't even realize I was even doing anything wrong with telling Zayn about the rumors... since you know, he wanted to know..."  
Niall interrupted his rambling. "Zayn told me that, but I thought you told him to end our friendship."  
"No. Why would I do that? I would never do that. I would never influence who Zayn can be friends with or not."  
"I understand that now, but you have to undestand... Harry is me best mate. I don't need ta be friends with people who hate him. He's been through enough, ya know."  
Liam nodded, understanding the fact that he was referring to the rumors and getting attacked during the first week of school. "I completely understand that. That's why I wanted to let you know that I'm going to be friendly to Harry. He's your friend, so there won't be any animosity towards him."  
"Thanks, but can I ask why ya hate him?"  
"I don't hate him... Honestly, I don't even remember why I started disliking him other than he was always hanging around when we were younger." Liam had a theory of when the animosity started, but he wasn't able to admit that fact to himself yet. He, Harry, Louis and a bunch of other people would be affected... (A/N: Yes foreshadowing! Didn't you love finding these in classes?) "So, will you give me a chance if I'm friendlier to Harry?"  
Niall stopped his walking, seeming like he was lost in thought. Liam noticed immediately and waited a moment for his reply, before he followed his line of vision and realized he was staring at a lunch cart that held wrapped ice creams and other snacks, but his stare was at a kid happily eating his treat.  
"Niall... hello, Niall..." Liam waved his hand in front of his face and was finally able to snap him out of his daze.  
"Oh...umm...what?"   
"Do you maybe want one?"  
Niall stared at Liam, wondering what he was getting at. Even if he told him the truth, he didn't have enough money to purchase the treat. "No." Niall stared down at the floor and Liam grinned at the boy that lied horribly.  
"You sure? My treat." Liam tried again, already pulling out his wallet.  
"Nah, that's all right. I wouldn't be able ta return tha favor."  
"That's no problem. Don't worry about paying me back. Take it as an added part to my apology for my behavior. Come on, I'll get one for Harry too, so tell me what flavor he likes."  
Niall stared at Liam in awe, like he had just given him a really great gift during Christmastime. "Thanks, Liam. That's really kind of ya."  
Liam chuckled at the response, feeling a slight blush tint his cheeks. He looked away quickly, hoping Niall hadn't seen how he reacted to his compliment. He felt so awkward reacting in that matter to the Irish boy. When he felt himself calm down, he replied, "Well, that's the kind of person I am. I'm not trying to bribe you or anything with the ice cream, either..."  
"It's ok, Liam. I don't think it was a bribe." Niall was still staring at Liam, amazed at how a popular boy could have such a nice heart. Liam's gaze fell in line with Niall's and for a moment, time seemed to stop around the two, but Niall quickly snapped himself out of it. What in the world was all that about? There was no way that Liam felt the same at that moment. "Besides, my friendship isn't for sale." Niall wished he could actually feel like he hadn't just told a lie, but as he unwrapped the vanilla and chocolate ice cream treat, his bulging eyes and the moan he released when he took the first bite, told a different story.  
Once they returned back to the table, Liam handed Harry the ice cream and said, "Harry, I want to aologize for my behavior towards you and I would like us to be friends, if that's ok with you." He also handed one to Zayn, who thanked him for the gift as well.  
Harry accepted the cold treat and thanked Liam, but stared at Niall. Niall just grinned widely, continuing to devour his treat, ignoring Harry's silent question of what was up with Liam? He couldn't satisfy his curiosity since Liam decided to spend the rest of his lunch time talking to them, well mostly Niall. It wasn't until they reached their shared math class, that Harry pulled Niall aside and asked, "What was that all about?"  
Niall pretended to not know what he was referring to. "What?"  
"With Liam. What did you do to him."  
Niall just laughed in response. "Nothing. He wants ta be mates with ya, what's wrong with that?"  
Harry smirked in response. "Oh, right. Like it had nothing to do with keeping you as his friend? I know he hates me."  
"He doesn't hate ya, Harry. Everyone wants ta just be your friend too."  
"Liar!" Harry teased. "You have that boy wrapped around your finger already."  
"What are ya getting at, Hazza?" Niall was laughing louder now.  
"Nothing. He likes... your friendship a lot, I guess."  
Niall just shook his head as they made their way to their seats, still oblivious to the fact of what Harry actually meant by his words.

The day went by fairly quickly, Harry and Zayn having a rough time keeping their hands to themselves, until they were inside Harry's home. Zayn had held onto Harry's hand the entire time since they exited the cab and pulled his boyfriend on top of him as soon as he sat himself on the couch. He began snogging his curly-haired boyfriend almost immediately as they were both feeling impatient from avoiding the show of too much affection at school.  
"Eww, gross!" Niall scoffed. "Getta room why don't ya. My eyes! My eyes are scarred for life!" He teased, as he shielded his eyes from the scene of Zayn sucking off his best friend's face.  
Harry pulled away from Zayn's mouth and burrowed his face in the crook of his neck, chuckling in embarrassment. "Sorry, Nialler. We'll stop now."  
"Hey speak for yourself." Zayn gripped his chin between his fingers, pulling up Harry's face in an attempt to capture his lips, but his boyfriend moved his head, dodging the kiss.   
"Maybe we should work on our homework so we don't behind."   
Zayn just groaned in response. "Really? I haven't been able to kiss you proper all day and I still have to wait? How about we go in your room like little Irish suggested."  
Zayn waggled his eyebrows suggestively, but Harry chuckled and responded, "No. Work first, play later."  
The older boy just groaned again. "Fine, but I'm getting some snacks if I gotta occupy my mouth with something else."  
He released Harry from his grip to walk towards the kitchen and the green-eyed boy watched him with such need in his eyes. He didn't even realize he was practically salivating and biting his lower lip, until Niall brought him back to reality. "Geez, Hazza. I know ya want him, but ya look like yere gonna jump his bones." His tone was teasing, but Harry had never heard truer words spoken.  
Harry couldn't even deny the fact as he continued to stare fondly at his boyfriend. "Sorry... I just like him so much. I've never felt this way about anyone but him."   
"Believe me, I know. It's all I've heard about ever since you told me ya like him."  
Harry nodded in response, blushing a bit because he really did have an obsession with the hazel-eyed boy and poor Niall had been subjected to all of his fonding.  
When Zayn returned, he placed several snacks and drinks on the table in front of them, and took his seat again, nestling his boyfriend between his legs. Harry sighed in bliss once he was seated comfortably and leaned against his boyfriend's body as he began to work on his assignments.  
Niall watched as the two kept getting easily distracted from their work. Zayn kept slipping chips into Harry's mouth and placed teasing kisses along the boy's neck and jaw, and lord only knew what in the world Zayn whispered into Harry's ear. It was probably naughty things since Harry would blush and nod before turning his face to plant a quick kiss to his boyfriend's lips. So it was no surprise that when Liam texted him (luckily he had unblocked his number earlier that day) that he had finished practice and wanted to know if Niall wanted to hang out, he replied a bit hastily and said yes. He told him to pick him up at Harry's house.  
It was about 15 seconds later, there was a knock on the door. "I'll go see who it is, Zarry." Niall stood up quickly, looking for any kind of distraction from the nerves he felt knowing Liam was on his way. One look through the peephole and he was shocked.  
"Zarry?" Zayn asked, staring at his boyfriend.  
Harry blushed horribly now. "He gave us a ship name. It's a mashup of Zayn and Harry."  
"Hmm...Zarry. I like it." Zayn really did like how it sounded and he followed his statement with a kiss.  
Niall interrupted their affectionate moment, when he ran back towards them, whisper-shouting, "It's Liam."  
Zayn's eyes shot up first. "Don't tell him I'm here." He walked towards the kitchen, avoiding any uncovered windows.  
Harry stood up and walked with Niall back towards the door. "Well, see what he wants."  
"I know what he wants," Niall replied. "I said I would hang out with him."  
"What? Why didn't you tell me?"  
"I thought I would have a little more time to tell ya. Sorry."  
"Do you need me to go with you? Are you going to be ok?" Harry asked, worried about his best friend taking off with someone and he was so concerned about his safety.  
"Yeah, I'll be fine. You get back to your boyfriend. You need some time alone anyway."  
"Niall, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make it weird. You don't have to go because of us." Harry hugged him, fearful of the fact that he had made Niall uncomfortable enough to leave.  
"I'm not. I think I need to try to make new friends anyway. You're still my best friend. That'll never change."  
Harry placed a kiss on his cheek after they released their hug. "Ok then. Call me if you feel uncomfortable. I'll come get you right away."  
"Thanks, Hazza."  
Again, Liam knocked on the door and rang the bell, but this time Niall opened the door. He was met with a grinning Liam. The brown-eyed boy seemed awe-struck for a moment, until Niall snapped him out of his daze. "Ello, Liam."  
"Hey, Niall. You ready?"  
"Hold on. Let me get me stuff first." Niall walked over to grab his schoolwork and shoved it hastily in his backpack. He waved a silent goodbye to Zayn, who repeated the action to him, smiling at the Irish boy. "Ok, ready now." Niall hugged Harry again. "Love ya, Haz."  
"Love you, Nialler. Be safe."  
"Bye Harry." Liam waved a goodbye, seeming to keep his promise of being friendly to Harry. Harry waved a goodbye as well before closing the door.  
"Well, that was quick," Niall pointed out how quickly Liam had arrived, so soon after just sending the text.  
Liam nodded and laughed. "Well, it was wishful thinking. I'm glad you could hang out for a bit."  
"It's no problem. So where are we going?"  
Liam placed Niall's backpack in the back seat after opening the car door for Niall and escorting him in. "Well, it's actually a surprise." Niall responded with a smile, but he felt more nervous now that he had no clue where they were headed.  
After Harry closed the front door, he faced Zayn. "Don't tell him I'm here?" He questioned his boyfriend, mocking his words.  
"Sorry, I panicked."  
"Are you ashamed to be seen with me?"   
Zayn felt his heart break at that moment at the sight of Harry's pout and rushed towards him. "No baby. I really care about you. I just didn't want him taking the piss outta me. Please don't be sad." He kissed him deeply at that moment and Harry forgot why he was even sad at that moment. "Lemme show you how much I care about you."  
Harry stared at his dark-haired Adonis that stood in front of him and nodded. Zayn grabbed onto his hand, leading him towards his bedroom. Harry sat on the bed as he watched Zayn remove his shirt, his beautifully sculpted abs and lean torso on display for his eyes to feast on. Zayn leaned over Harry, pushing him lightly to lay against the bed as he tried to pull up his shirt, but Harry stopped him.  
"What's the matter, babe?"  
"I wanna leave my shirt on."  
"Aww, don't get all shy on me now."  
"I'm not. I just don't want you to be disgusted by me."  
"I'm not going to be. You're perfect. Nothing's gonna change that," Zayn assured, running his fingers through Harry's hair, brushing it off his forehead.  
"Really Zayn. I don't want you to see." Harry crossed his arms over his chest, making sure the material covered him.  
"Please let me see, Curly."  
Again, Harry shook his head, keeping his arms still in the same position. "I can't. Please understand."  
"Why not, Curly?" Zayn knew he was fighting dirty, trying to convince him by using his nickname, his self-confirmed weakness.  
"I have growths, Zayn. They'll scare you off."  
"Why don't you let me be the judge of that? Let me see before you start jumping to conclusions." Zayn kissed his lips again as he grasped the hem of his shirt and lifted the material. Harry turned his face to the side, not wanting to see Zayn's disgusted reaction.  
"What is it?" Zayn asked once the shirt was completely raised up to his neck.  
"They're extra nipples, Zayn." Harry held his breath, worried over how Zayn would take off now that he had seen his defect.  
"These?" Zayn asked, running the pads of his fingers over the two small bumps. When Harry nodded, he chuckled lightly. "They're just extra decoration. You had me worried I was going to see warts or boils or something."  
Harry chuckled in response, staring at his boyfriend now. "So, you're not disgusted?"  
"Not at all." Zayn kissed and licked over the two tiny bumps, declaring, "Like I said you're perfect. They're just more for me to like about you."  
Harry's breath caught in his lungs. His mind taking him back to when he was younger and a boy had made fun of his extra nipples when he took off his shirt in front of him, calling him a freak. He remembered his mother assuring him that they made him unique and he'd meet someone someday who'd tell him that they were just more of him to love. Sure, they were the exact words, but they were close enough. "You're perfect," Harry replied, wanting to just say those three little words to him, to let him know how head-over-heels in love he was with this boy, but he stopped himself. "I-I like you so much."  
He and Zayn continued their snog as Harry hugged him closer once his shirt was completely gone and both boys were now unbuttoning each other's jeans. Harry was the first one to be brave enough to slide down Zayn's zipper and push his hand into his boxers, freeing his length and gripping it in his hand as he lovingly stroked it. He absolutely loved everything about his cock, from its length to the silky yet hard texture. He could already see the bead of precum on its tip and he licked his lower lip as he hungrily stared at it, wanting to wrap his lips around him.  
Zayn gasped and moaned at the feeling of Harry's hand on him. He, too, was licking his lower lip in response, loving all the attention his boyfriend was giving him. He wanted to just push his length between those juicy, pink lips of his, but he remembered how innocent his boyfriend still was. So he, in suit, unzipped his fly and reached for his hardened length as well.  
Harry had the same response from Zayn's touch. He sucked in a breath harshly and moaned as his boyfriend rubbed up and down his cock, his thumb stroking over his wet tip.  
There was a bit more rubbing and stroking of each other's lengths as their hands became familiar with each other's bodies. Zayn forced the next words out of his lips, moreso for himself to hear, rather than tell Harry his intentions. "We're not going all the way, ok. Just touching all right?"  
Harry could only moan into Zayn's mouth as his boyfriend pressed his lips to his, which had become swollen and a bit sensitive from all their kissing. Zayn increased the stroking motion on his velvety hardness and Harry sped up his movements as well, using the slow stream of come to coat their lengths, and after a few moments, they both were covered in a sheen of sweat, mouths devouring each others' hungrily.   
Harry came first, Zayn forced his body to hold off until his boyfriend was satisfied and once he was coated in the white, hot spurts of his boyfriend's arousal, he allowed himself to release onto Harry. He rolled over and snuggled into Harry while he tried to slow down his breathing and racing heart. He grinned sheepishly as he gazed at how gorgeous his boyfriend looked covered in his seed, his hand and torso drenched in his release. What shocked him worse of all, was that Harry looked straight into his eyes and licked his index finger, tasting the fluid and Zayn's heart was racing all over again.  
"Mmm, you taste good. Next time, it'll be my mouth on you," Harry assured as he licked his lips, making sure he had swallowed all that was in his mouth. His chest was still heaving in large breaths to make sure he wouldn't break into an asthma attack.  
Harry pecked his mouth, gaping in shock. "You always amaze me Curly."  
"Hey, don't blame me for being honest."  
"Well, since we're being honest... even though you look sexy as hell covered in my come, I wasn't planning on doing this to you. You just make me lose control. How do you do that to me?"  
Harry chuckled again. "You're the one I can't say no to. Don't blame it on me." He sat up in the bed and added, "And as much as I wish I could just lay here all day with you, I'm going to get cleaned up before mum gets home and I don't even want to try to explain this."  
"Yeah, I haven't even taken you on a proper date yet, but here I am getting off. That's not how I wanted this to go."  
Harry placed a soft kiss to his lips again. "Hey, we haven't gone out for a date, but we've had an ice cream date already." Zayn raised his eyebrow curiously, so Harry continued. "Remember we ate ice cream in my room while we watched the telly? Well, consider that our first date."  
"Really? Wow you're a cheap date."  
"Hey!" Harry playfully smacked his arm. "I am not."  
"I don't know... maybe if I walk with you to the loo, it can be our second date... and maybe I'll get that blow job."  
Harry knew Zayn was teasing, so he teased back. "Hey, I'm not that easy. You have to at least hold my hand the whole way there for a blow job."  
Zayn acted like he was offended by his statement, placing his hand over his mouth as he gasped. "You dirty boy you. F uck you're turning me on again."  
Zayn curled up into the younger boy's side, gripping his hips and attempting to climb on top of him, but Harry placed a hand to his chest, stopping his attempt. "No, we have to get cleaned up before mum gets here."  
Zayn groaned, but smiled at his boyfriend anyway. "Go ahead. I'll be in there in a bit."  
Harry winked at Zayn as he stripped his jeans the rest of the way off, leaving him completely naked, before grabbing his sweats. Zayn was trying to resist the temptation, until Harry bent down in front of him, picking up the sweats he was sure he'd dropped on purpose while licking his lips as he stood up slowly. He now had a full frontal view of his boyfriend in the daylight, and knew he wasn't lying when he'd called him perfect. "You'd better hurry."  
Harry begun walking away slowly, but would still steal glances at Zayn. Zayn tried to keep calm, he tried to keep cool about the situation, but Harry's flirty, teasing side made him lose control again. So, when Harry glanced his way again, Zayn jumped up off the bed and said, "Wait til I catch you."  
That was all it took for Harry to bolt down the hallway, shouting excitedly as Zayn ran after him. Sure, he had no clue what he'd actually do once he caught him - maybe some tickling, definitely some more kissing - but this was the fun part of this relationship. He never knew what would happen and he liked it that way.


	24. Driving Test

When Anne arrived that evening, she found Harry sitting on the couch with Zayn's arm wrapped around his lower back. She eyed them suspiciously before Harry reacted and scooted away from sitting so closely to his boyfriend. He knew that Zayn had wanted to keep their relationship secret, even from his mum, so he tried his best to deter her suspicions.  
"Hey mum. How are you? How was work today?"  
Anne decided to act like nothing was out of the ordinary, when she answered, "It was good baby. How was your day?"  
"It was great."  
"Oh yeah? What'd you do today?"  
Harry turned his face to stare at Zayn and they both giggled silently, as if they were sharing some secret joke. "Oh you know, just some school work." Again, he looked directly at Zayn, who was pressing his hand to his mouth, trying to stifle his laughter.  
"Ok... so are you hungry?" his mother asked as she began pulling out a pan and some ground beef from the fridge. She already knew the answer before her son replied 'yes,' so she was already pulling out items from the fridge and cupboard. "Is tacos ok, hon?"  
"Mmm, I love tacos!" Harry replied, clapping his hands once before resting them on his knees.  
"How about you, Zayn? Wanna share them with Harry?"  
"Yeah, that would be cool, thanks," the older boy replied, and Harry cast a puppy love gaze on him as he smiled.  
"Good... umm where's Niall?" She asked once she looked around her living room and didn't see the young blond-haired boy.  
"Oh yeah...umm... he's with a friend," Harry replied, almost forgetting that he was hanging out with Liam since he had been so caught up in his boyfriend.  
"What? Did he clear it with Maura?" Anne questioned, her tone already filled with motherly concern.  
"Umm, I don't think so."   
"What? Call him up right now then! Maura entrusted us to watch him and I don't want her to worry." Anne gave him that you-better-do-as-I-say-or-else look and Harry wasn't going to risk getting in trouble, so he dialed Niall's number.  
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~  
Niall was in the middle of having dinner with Liam and his family when his cell rang. He peered down at it, seeing that it was Harry, so he said, "Umm, sorry... I have to take this."  
Liam watched as Niall got up and took the call in the living room. He sighed to himself, so happy that his family seemed to be just as happy about his friendship with Niall. He wasn't too worried though, since he knew the Irish lad had such a great and friendly personality.  
"'Ello," Niall asked once he answered the call.  
"Hey Nialler," Harry replied cheerily. "Where are you?"  
"Umm, Liam's house, why?"   
"His house?" Harry chuckled over the line.  
"What?" Niall questioned, not understanding why Harry was laughing.  
"How'd you end up there?"  
"Well, Liam wanted me to have dinner with him and meet his family."  
Niall suddenly heard Zayn speaking over the line. "What's going on? Where is he?"  
Harry seemed to be addressing Zayn now. "He's at Liam's house." Harry continued to chuckle, which seemed to make Zayn join in too.  
"I don't understand why you two are laughing at me." Niall was getting agitated now.  
"Nothing, nothing," Harry tried to suppress his giggles.  
"Damn, I haven't even gone to Liam's house...maybe you were right," Zayn muttered, his voice sounding a bit farther away now.  
Suddenly, Niall heard another voice over the line, which definitely was female.  
"Hey, I gotta put you on speaker now," Harry warned.  
"Niall, where are you? Are you ok?" Anne asked through the speaker.  
"Yeah, I'm at a friend's house," he replied.  
"Did you clear it with your mum?" Anne questioned.  
"Umm, no, but I'll call her now."  
"OK, but next time check with her first before leaving like that," Anne's worried motherly tone was extremely evident in her warning.  
"Sorry, mum." Harry aided his friend as he added, "He was working on a project with Liam and he forgot to call her."  
"Ok, but make sure he calls her." Anne walked away from the phone and Harry took the call off speaker.  
"I will." Harry then turned his attention back to Niall. "Make sure to call your mum... and tell me how's it going over at his place."  
Niall chuckled at Harry's excited tone. "Ok, but it's nothing too exciting. I've met one of his sisters, who's really sweet, and I'm just eating dinner."  
"Yeah, but you never know... maybe more will happen," Harry concluded, his imaginaton already thinking up how Liam might try to kiss his friend and maybe make him his boyfriend.  
"You're silly , Harry," Niall chuckled in response.  
After Harry confirmed that Liam would take Niall home after they were done hanging out, Harry hung up the call and he and Zayn worked on their homework until their dinner was done. Since tacos took close to no time to cook, they were soon seated at the table, piling meat and toppings into their crunchy taco shells.  
Zayn sat beside Harry and watched as he tore into his meal, sauce and lettuce spewing out of the cracked shell and Harry licked every one of his fingers, making sure he didn't spill a drop. He was grinning widely as Harry moaned loudly from all the flavors exploding in his mouth and Zayn felt impatient at wanting to kiss his boyfriend over how adorable he was being.  
Luckily, he got the chance when his mum's cell phone rang and she left the dining room to answer it. Zayn grinned as he leaned over in his seat and licked some sour cream on Harry's chin before pecking his lips.  
Harry had his eyes closed, but still hummed in response to the kiss. He found a softly chuckling and smirking Zayn staring at him, by the time he opened his eyes. "What?"  
"You," Zayn replied, simply.  
"What about me?"  
"You're so cute, you know that?"  
"Umm...ok," Harry raised one eyebrow curiously at Zayn.  
"Don't look at me like that. You're the one looking all adorable with sour cream running down your chin... just making me think naughty things, you know."  
Harry caught onto Zayn's joke and ducked his head, using his hand to shield his face, as he laughed along. When he looked up again, Zayn was still smirking at him so he whispered, "I got it. Guess you are entitled to that blow job now that this could be considered our second date now."  
Zayn didn't even hesitate as he stood up from his chair, his hand gripping the zipper on his jeans, ready to slide it down when Harry stopped him. "No...no! " he exclaimed, waving his hands.  
"What?" Zayn teased, "Changing your mind now?"  
"No, not really, but mum is here."  
Zayn groaned, "You're right. Guess it'll have to wait then."  
Harry nodded, asking, "Wait? You weren't serious were you?"  
"Hmm mmm," Zayn nodded. "Yup was gonna whip it right out."  
Zayn chuckled, but Harry still wasn't sure if he was joking or telling the truth.   
They continued their meal, quietly teasing each other until Anne returned. She was beaming from the exciting news of her phone call and as she stared at her son and Zayn sending each other flirty glances, she had a feeling that she wasn't the only one with a secret.  
"Umm, Mrs. Styles..." Zayn began, once he finished his last taco on his plate.  
"Please, call me Anne," Harry's mum said. "I haven't been Mrs. Styles for a long time now." She was smiling, so Zayn knew she hadn't been offended.  
"Sorry, Anne. Well, I wanted to ask you if it was ok to go out with Harry this Friday."  
Anne's mouth opened, wondering what kind of outing Zayn was referring to. "Out where?"  
Harry's jaw dropped open as well, his obvious surprise plastered on his face, as Zayn smirked at him and continued. "Umm, you know like bowling or billiards or maybe the movies..." (A/N: Billiards in England is pool in the US)  
"Just you or with friends?" Anne questioned, keeping a poker face, not revealing any emotions she was feeling at the moment.   
Harry was just as curious about Zayn's intentions as well. Was he going to reveal he was his boyfriend now? He, of course, had no problems with it, but he just wished he had a head's up.  
"Umm, just us two...you know, as friends."  
"Hmm," Anne pondered it for a moment. "Are you going to show up this time?" Anne tried to control her anger from Harry being stood up last time, but she couldn't help it. She was a mama bear protecting her little cub.  
"Mum," Harry interjected. "I told you he had something else come up that day." Anne just waved a hand at her son, dispeling his remark.  
"Oh yeah. I'm really sorry about that." Zayn apologized, absolutely knowing what Anne was referring to since he had witnessed Harry's breakdown when he admitted how hurt he'd been, so Zayn knew he would not let him down again. "I promise I'll be here this time."  
"Which is fine," Harry glared at him mum. "Even if something else did come up, it'd be ok."  
Anne just smiled in return, knowing her son's facial expressions well enough. "That's fine, but don't stay out too late... and I don't know about bowling or billiards, Harry. I don't think it's wise for you to be around all that cigarette smoke. It might cause an attack."  
"It's fine, mum. I'll take my inhaler," Harry added.  
"Yeah, I'll take the one you gave me too."  
Anne stared at Zayn, wondering when he'd gotten Harry's inhaler.  
"I gave him my spare one," Harry explained. "You know, since he's protecting me now and stuff, I figured it was better for him to have it. You know, just in case."  
Anne nodded before remembering, "Oh Harry. Don't forget I'm picking you up early that day to take you for your driving test."  
"I didn't forget," Harry remarked. He definitely didn't forget since he was excited, yet extremely nervous about going to the DVLA to take his driving test to get his license.   
"I didn't knowing you were getting your license."  
Harry didn't know why he'd forgotten to tell Zayn. He just always seemed to become so distracted everytime his boyfriend was around. "Sorry, but if I pass, then I can drive us wherever we're going... that is if it's ok to borrow the car, mum."  
"Of course, baby," Anne replied, before taking another bite of her meal.  
The boys continued to have a small conversation and as Anne quietly observed them staring fondly at each other, she definitely knew she wasn't the only one with a secret.  
~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~  
The following morning, Harry practically attacked Niall as soon as he walked in through his front door. Niall wanted nothing more than to lay down and snuggle his face into a decorative couch pillow, but Harry sat down beside him and began asking him questions. Harry's mum had recently left to work and Maura had left also after she dropped him off.  
"So, tell me what happened," Harry questioned, his voice too happy and his movements too excited to be so early in the morning.  
"Nothing happened Haz."  
"Oh come on... don't hold out on me."  
"It was nothing really. Like I said, we ate dinner and I met some of his family. That's all." Niall chuckled at how his friend pouted over his response.  
"What'd'ya mean that's all? That can't be all."  
"What more do ya want, Haz?"   
"Well, I know you just didn't eat dinner and leave, so what did'ya do?"  
"Well, he showed me his room..." Harry's eyebrows rose at this statement. "...and I helped him with some homework." Ok, so Niall actually read over a poem Liam had written for his writing class since Liam had practically begged him to read it and tell him what he thought of it. He had found it to be beautifully written, referring to a forbidden romance and secret feelings, but he wasn't going to reveal that to Harry. His best friend seemed to be searching for something about Liam and he wasn't going to betray either one of his friends by exposing any of their secrets.  
"Well, what else did ya do?"  
"Geez Harry. We just watched a little telly after that and he drove me home."  
"OK, then what happened?"  
Niall couldn't hold back his laughter anymore. "That's it, he drove me home and then he left. Does that answer ya questions now?"  
Harry sighed and huffed out an exasperated breath. "Yeah, that's fine. What a let down... but I'm glad you had fun, Nialler." Harry cupped his shoulder before heading up the stairs to finish his morning routine.  
Niall finally sprawled his body over the couch and snuggled his face into a decorative pillow, just as he wanted to do since he arrived, and thought over the parts he'd left out of his night with Liam. Most of the parts he'd said were true, but he didn't tell Harry about Liam's sweet moments. How when they were watching telly, Liam had insisted they sit on the bed (since it was more comfortable) and how when Niall felt a bit chilly, Liam had wrapped them up in a comforter or how he placed his arm around Niall's back and tucked him into his side for more warmth. He, of course, thanked him for his kind gesture.  
And how when Liam drove him home, he walked him to his door and kissed him on his cheek before he told Niall that he'd had a wonderful time hanging out and couldn't wait to do it again. When a grinning Liam walked back to his car, Niall stood in front of his porch and stood motionless for a second before waving a goodbye to Liam. He had his hand pressed to the spot on his cheek, where Liam's lips had been, and smiled before walking into his home.   
Yeah, Niall definitely wouldn't say anything about that.  
When they got to school, Niall stared at his best friend as he seemed to get lost in his boyfriend's eyes. There was a sort of change in the way Harry and Zayn were interacting. They definitely seemed much closer than before. He had grabbed onto Zayn's jacket, pulling him into his embrace, as if his boyfriend might disappear if he didn't hold on tight. The green-eyed boy grasped the older boy tightly in their shared hug and burrowed his face in his chest. Zayn, being a good boyfriend, seemed to keep his promise about not hurting Harry anymore as he wrapped his arms around the younger boy, nestling him in his arms. They were being so sweet to each other, that he got a tooth ache from watching them.  
"Did'ya miss me?" Zayn whispered into Harry's ear, still cradling him in his arms.  
Harry nodded, whispering back, "Yeah... alot."   
"Good. I missed you too."  
Niall continued to stare at the boys, wondering how it would feel to be in a relationship like theirs. Being with someone who you missed and who missed you back and who cared for you as much as you cared for them. He was smiling at the adorable couple, until he noticed that they had unknowingly drawn attention from some of the students who stared at them as they walked by. Niall knew he had to think fast before people got suspicious, so he walked closer to them, chuckling, "Hey, where's my hug? Just cause Harry's your favorite friend doesn't mean you can forget me."  
Zayn eyed him curiously for a moment, before realizing what Niall was doing. He was diverting the attention off of their intimate embrace and he was extremely grateful. "Thanks Niall," he whispered to the Irish lad as he hugged him, releasing Harry from his arms.  
"It's fine."  
Harry grinned at his Irish friend as well, also feeling as grateful that he was looking out for them, enabling them to keep their secret. He knew that he needed to more discreet next time to avoid people finding out about them.  
However, as he found himself pressed against the same bathroom stall as the day before with Zayn's lips pressed to his and his hands cupping his face, control was the last thing on his mind. He released a loud moan when he felt the older boy's tongue brush against his, but Zayn shushed him.  
"Sorry," Harry whispered.  
"S'okay."  
However, Zayn nuzzled his face into his neck before nipping at a certain pleasure spot right at the juncture of where his ear met his neck, and Harry had a difficult time suppressing the next moan. "You know you're making it hard for me to be quiet," the younger boy whispered again.  
"And you're just flat out making me hard." Zayn proved his point by pressing his hard-on against his hip.  
"Umm... I can help you with that."   
Zayn peered down at his boyfriend, who was gazing at him with his bright green eyes, biting his bottom lip, waiting for his permission, and he found him incredibly sexy at the moment. "Yes." Harry was already reaching for the top button of his jeans, when he stopped his hands. "But we can't babe. I don't wanna risk detention for being late. Tomorrow night you're all mine."  
"Yeah... I can't wait." Harry cupped his length through his jeans, causing his boyfriend to moan loudly.  
"Shh," Harry whispered, giggling quietly.  
"You did that on purpose." It wasn't even a question, it was a direct statement.  
"Hmm, maybe."  
Zayn again bit the same sensitive spot on his neck, causing a bright red spot to appear and this time, Harry had to press his hand against his mouth to quiet the sinful sound. Zayn reattached his lips to his boyfriend and ran one hand up and down his sides while his other hand played in his curls. Once they parted from their snogging session, they were both panting and had to readjust their jeans from the obvious hard-ons they both had now.  
"Shit! We're gonna be late." Zayn was the one being responsible now. He pecked his boyfriend's lips one last time before making sure they could escape the bathroom undetected. Once they were in the clear, they both raced towards their classrooms before the late bell sounded, laughing at each other along the way.  
School carried on and once they were in Harry's home for the evening, they made the sacrifice to tone down their kissing so Niall wouldn't feel awkward around them. That didn't mean that Zayn still didn't take the advantage of sneaking in random kisses or hiding away in Harry's room to properly snog his boyfriend.   
Niall wasn't dumb. Of course, he knew what they were doing, but he wasn't going to interfere. He couldn't recall a time he'd ever been so happy. He did, however, tease his friend about the now, very noticeable, hickey that was on his neck from their snog in the school bathroom. "Hazza, you have something on yer neck," he teased.  
"What?" Harry stood up, walking towards the bathroom mirror, dropping the f bomb loudly when he saw the bruise. "Zayn!"  
Zayn just laughed loudly from his seat on the living room couch as he knew why his boyfriend was mad.  
Harry stomped back into the room and glared down at Zayn. "How am I gonna explain this to mum?"  
"I'm sure you'll think of something." Zayn was still laughing, when he pulled his boyfriend down to him and snuggled him in his lap. He knew Harry wasn't really mad at him, so he kissed the spot on his neck. "Now relax before I give you another one on the other side."  
Of course, Harry wasn't mad. He never really was, but he was worried over what his mum would say to him and he wasn't comfortable having to lie to her about its true origin.  
And again, Niall stared at the couple, smiling at how in love they seemed to be with each other already. He knew Harry was absolutely head-over-heels for his boyfriend, but he wondered how deep Zayn was. He wished he could talk to Liam about his Zayn, wondering if there was anything to worry about since he didn't want his best friend hurt.   
Liam had told Niall he would be busy after school, so they couldn't hang out today, but he asked if he wanted to hang out tomorrow night. Harry had already told Niall about his date, so the Irish lad agreed to hanging out with Liam since he'd been such a great friend so far. They did, however, text each other throughout the day and Liam told him how he'd much rather hang out with Niall, rather than his team mates, who were boring him with stories of girls they had slept with or getting high with their other friends.   
Niall grinned widely when Liam texted him that he couldn't wait til they met up tomorrow night because he felt just the same way. Even though Harry was his best friend and that would never change, he couldn't help but feel like the third wheel around the new couple. He hoped that by spending some time with Liam, they could have their alone time even though he was concerned that Harry wouldn't keep his virginity much longer if they had too much time alone.  
~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~  
The following day was finally the day they'd all been waiting for... Friday.   
The boys went through their now daily routines: Zayn and Harry sneaking away after their first class for their daily snog, Liam and Niall discreetly texting each other every chance they got.  
"Mmm, Curly, I get you all to myself tonight," Zayn whispered, holding his boyfriend in their arms as they snuck away for their morning snog.  
"I know... can't wait." Harry had wrapped his arms around his boyfriend's neck, before kissing him deeply. They were a mess of tangled lips and tongues, exploring each other's mouths, panting heavily and Harry couldn't imagine any better than moments like this. These brief moments where he lost himself in his boyfriend's arms, basking in the aphrodisiac taste of his boyfriend's lips.  
Harry's mum picked up her son after lunch and both Zayn and Niall wished him luck on his test. Zayn was the most optimistic of the two, as he said, "I know you're gonna pass."  
"I sure hope so," Harry worriedly chewed on his lower lip.  
"I can promise you'll do fine."  
"Oh yeah? How's that?"  
"Cause since you'll be driving, you can drive other parts of the night too." Zayn wiggled his eyes in a suggestive manner, causing Harry to blush horribly.  
When he recovered, he eagerly replied, "I'm definitely gonna make sure to pass now."  
And just as Zayn predicted, Harry showed up after school driving his mum's car.  
Niall had run up to Harry first, hugging and congratulating him while Zayn walked slowly towards the newly licensed driver.   
"Congrats, babe." Zayn gave him a side hug and placed a quick kiss to his curls.   
Harry was so overwhelmed by the public display of his affection that he blushed once again. Zayn recognized the pink tint on his cheeks and he just had to tease him. "You blushing about tonight?"  
"Hmm, maybe. Any clue about where we're going?"  
"Nope, it's a surprise, but I'm keeping my promise." Zayn winked, causing Harry's heart to race. He couldn't wait to see what Zayn had in store for him.  
"Ok, but how will I know how to dress?" Harry asked as he sat himself in the driver's seat and Zayn sat beside him, while Niall sat in the back.  
"Just dress nice," Zayn replied.  
"But how nice? Like dressy nice or casual nice?"  
"Casual."  
"Ok, should I dress warm or will we be indoors?"  
"Bring a jacket, but I'm not telling you anything more."  
"Aww come on, Zayn," Harry pouted as he put the car in drive.  
"It won't work babe. My lips are sealed."  
Niall was laughing loudly from the back. "Good job, Zayn. Keep Harry here on his toes."  
"Niall! What?" Harry voice carried his shock.  
"We all know yer impatient, Haz."  
"Am not. Niall I can't believe you. You're walking home, by the way."  
"It's ok, Nialler. I got your back," Zayn added.  
"Thanks." Niall and Zayn pounded their fists in a friendly gesture, but Harry just continued to pout.  
"Relax babe. We're only teasing ya." Zayn stroked his palm against the side of Harry's face and Harry had no control over the smile that seized his mouth.  
Once Harry dropped off Zayn to get ready for their date, Zayn slowly pecked his lips. "Be back here at 7 ok."  
"OK," Harry nodded, shyly.  
Zayn stepped out of the car and Harry watched as he walked through his front door, his gaze devouring the sight of the gorgeous Pakistani boy. Niall now sat beside him in the front and Harry scolded him. "Really Niall? You're such a traitor."  
"Oh come on, Hazza." Niall chuckled again. "It's all in good fun."  
"But I'm so nervous for tonight. It's my first date ever."  
"I know, mate. Don't worry I'll help ya."  
"Is that supposed to be comforting? You've never gone out on a date either," Harry teased.  
Niall bumped his shoulder with his before replying, "Guess not, but I'm the best you got. But I do have to say... use protection."  
"Niall!"  
And Niall laughed his arse off as Harry's cheeks flamed up once again.


	25. First Date

To Zayn: Hi I'm already here.   
Harry sent the text message once he parked in the driveway outside Zayn's home. Zayn replied almost immediately, texting back:  
To Harry: Great. Come in.  
Harry checked his appearance once in the rear-view mirror before climbing out of the car, making his way nervously towards the front door. Why would Zayn want him to come inside? Had his parents found out about their date and now they were going to confront him about it? Or worse? Was Zayn going to tell him that he never wanted to see him again, in front of his family? That would be so humiliating.   
As Harry made his way to the front door and knocked, his mind flashed back to the events earlier tonight as he got ready for his date. His mum had wittingly tricked him into admitting his relationship with Zayn.  
"Mum!" Harry had entered her room with red-rimmed eyes and he'd looked close to tears.  
"What is it, baby?" She had asked at the sight of her sorrowful son.  
"My hair!" He tugged onto his unruly curls, dampened by his earlier shower. "I can't seem to get them under control."  
Anne smiled at her son, motioning him to follow her into her bathroom. Once he took a seat on the lid-covered toilet, she pulled some of her hair products towards her, and plugged in her blow dryer. Anne noticed how stressed her son looked as he bounced his knee and chewed on his fingernails. "Nervous?" she asked, the answer very obvious in his actions.  
Harry smirked at her before sarcastically adding, "No... what gave it away?"  
Anne laughed as she continued with her questions. "So, where's he taking you?"  
"He didn't tell me and it's driving me crazy." He groaned as he continued. "I don't even know if I'm even dressed right."  
"Relax baby. You have nothing to worry about."  
"Yeah I do. What if I do or say something wrong?"  
Anne began smoothing some mousse through his curly strands with her fingertips. "I know first dates are always so nerve-wracking."  
"Yeah." Harry nodded as his worried thoughts filled his mind with different type of scenarios of how their date could go wrong.  
"And you never know... he might kiss you or something..."   
"Yeah," Harry grinned widely until he realized what he was saying. He stuttered as he tried to correct his error. "Umm, n-no... I mean... umm... we're just friends..."  
Anne was chuckling now as she eyed him, her gaze showing him that she had caught onto their secret before she even spoke. "It's ok, love. I figured something was going on between the two of you."  
"No... but mum, we're just friends... I didn't mean it..."  
Anne interrupted his rambling then. "There's no need to lie to me, Harold. I know more than you think."  
Harry's eyes widened at her comment. She couldn't possibly know everything. He lowered his eyes, avoiding her gaze, worried he might reveal something else accidentally.  
Anne lifted his chin, exposing his neck. "Besides this hickey right here, kind of gave away your secret."  
Harry grinned at her observation. "So there's no way of me lying and saying it's a mosquito bite or anything?"  
Anne chuckled loudly then. "Absolutely no way of me buying that. So now tell me... what's really going on with you and Zayn? But please leave out parts about where the hickey came from... I'm still your mother."  
"Well, I'm not even sure what's going on." Harry began recounting his tale as Anne turned on the blow dryer and began styling his curls. "I mean he did ask me to be his boyfriend, but he wants to keep us a secret. He definitely doesn't want his family to find out since it's a huge sin in their religion."  
"That's understandable. I can understand why he wants to keep it a secret."  
"Yeah, he didn't even want me to tell you. I mean, I think he might be worried you might let it slip out to his family or something."  
Anne nodded, understanding how Zayn could think that. "I'm sure you're right, but I hope he knows I would never intentionally set out to hurt him by telling his family."  
"I know you wouldn't mum, but he's still hesitant about gay people..."   
"What do you mean?"  
Harry sighed before deciding that even though Zayn's secret was supposed to be private, he would tell his mum certain parts so she could understand Zayn better. He didn't tell her everything, making sure to leave out the parts about Zayn's anger and fighting, but he did tell her about being bullied because his friend, Anthony, tried to kiss him and how he flipped it making Zayn seem like the aggressor.  
By the time Harry finished his story, Anne covered her mouth from the shock of the new information and hugged Harry tightly. "No wonder he was so understanding about keeping you safe. I had no idea that he went through the same ordeal."  
Harry squeezed his mum tighter in their shared hug. "Yeah, it's really been killing me to keep quiet about what happened to him and everything. He's so misunderstood, but he's the greatest person I've ever met."  
Anne noticed the fondness in his voice and smiled at her baby boy before releasing him from their hug. "Thanks for telling me, Harry. Now I understand him better."  
"Thanks for being so great, mum."  
"You know you can talk to me about anything... well except for how you got that hickey..." They both laughed in response. "Just don't keep secrets from me ok. You know I've always been understanding of what's going on in your life."  
"I know... it's just... Zayn, you know. I've been in love with him for so long that I couldn't ruin it," Harry admitted.  
"It's ok, I get it. As long as you're happy and he doesn't hurt you, then I'm ok with it."  
Before Harry could reminisce any further, Zayn swung open the door. Harry had to force his mouth closed from the sight of his boyfriend looking absolutely sexy from wearing just a simple white t-shirt and black skinny jeans. "Sorry it took so long," the Bradford boy began. "Saf and Wal were both arguing over who was going to open the door for you."   
Harry nodded as he saw his two sisters standing close to the doorway, smiling at him. "Hey girls," he greeted and waved at them while both Safaa and Waliyha giggled and waved back.  
Zayn surprised him though as he pulled him in for a brief hug and whispered, "You look amazing."  
Harry blushed, but managed to whisper back, "You do too."  
Zayn stared as his curly-haired boyfriend slip off his brown suede coat with its darker brown lining and felt anxious that he could not snog him properly due to his family being there.  
Once Harry greeted everyone in the family, he was seated beside Zayn at the table, where Trisha served several dishes from Zayn's family's Pakistan culture. They made their way through plates of chicken and rice and through Zayn's favorite dish, samosas, and ended their meal with a kheer (a rice pudding type of dessert) which was Harry's favorite. Harry felt beyond stuffed from the huge meal, before Zayn declared, "We have to get going now or we'll miss the movie."  
Harry smiled, finally getting some kind of hint of where they would be headed for their date. Once they said their goodbyes and Harry thanked his mum for the wonderful meal, he and Zayn were both seated in his mum's car.  
"So, movies, huh?" Harry asked, already eager to spend some time alone in the dark with his boyfriend.  
"Yup," Zayn replied, staring out the window.   
"So, that was really nice of your mum to serve me dinner tonight."  
"Yeah. I told her how your mum is always feeding me, so she insisted that she return the favor." Zayn continued to stare out the window and before Harry's mind could wander and worry over why the older boy was acting strange, Zayn signaled out a petrol station (A/N: Gas station in the US) and said, "Pull in here for a minute."  
Harry nodded and drove in, parking the car in a darkened spot of the station where Zayn had indicated that they stop. Once he parked the car, he was even more surprised at how Zayn reached over and pulled him onto his lap and placed a kiss to his lips. He then pushed his tongue into Harry's mouth, causing the younger boy to gasp, but soon melted into the kiss. Harry thread his fingers into the back of Zayn's hair, bringing his mouth closer to his.  
Though, somehow Zayn managed to pull his lips away to breathe out, "Do you realize how incredible you look tonight? It was so hard to control myself from snogging you in front of my family."  
"Oh really?" Harry asked, his blush evident to Zayn, even in the darkness they were surrounded by. "You're the one driving me crazy with this leather jacket... I can't control myself when you look like this." Harry had one hand in Zayn's hair and one clutching onto his boyfriend's black leather jacket and kissed the older boy again.  
They continued to snog for a bit, until Zayn pulled away again. "We better get going before we miss the film. I just really wanna rent a room and have my way with you all night."  
"I'm fine with that."  
Zayn groaned, gripping onto Harry's hips, and sliding him off his lap. "Harry, I'm trying to be a gentleman here. Stop tempting me so much."   
"Sorry."  
"It's all right, babe. Let's just go before I change my mind." Zayn gazed at Harry seductively, before fiddling with the car radio in search of a good tune to keep his mind off of wanting to ruin his boyfriend's innocence.  
At the theater, they decided to just get a box of candies each and a bottle of water each since they were both still full from dinner. Luckily, they were able to find seats in the very last row and while Harry tried to focus on their small conversation, his mind wandered to his past fantasies. How many times had he thought about being alone in the dark with Zayn, kissing and touching each other? Way too many to even think it would ever happen.  
When the lights finally dimmed and the movie began, Harry placed his hand on the armrest beside Zayn's, hoping his boyfriend would hold his hand. He was still too nervous to make any first moves, so he kept waiting for Zayn to show him how far he was comfortable going with him. He waited and waited, but Zayn seemed to be in tuned to the movie. Harry, of course, was way too focused on the older boy beside him to pay attention to what the superhero in the film was doing.  
Harry lifted his water bottle and the movement caught Zayn's attention. Zayn stared at the younger boy, his full lips wrapped around the clear bottle and his throat moved with the movement of the water traveling down his throat. The older boy gulped and after Harry put the water back down, he thread his fingers through Harry's own. His boyfriend smiled at him and Zayn whispered, "You're making me jealous of that water bottle."  
Harry caught onto the joke and stifled his laughter with the hand that wasn't being held by Zayn's. He shook his head and said, "You're so bad."   
Zayn placed his other hand on Harry's inner thigh and was surprised how quickly Harry placed his hand over the same spot on his lap. The older boy pressed his fingers over Harry's jeans, inching his way upwards and his boyfriend repeated the same action. "Are you even watching the film?"   
Harry shook his head. "No, not really."  
Zayn could no longer handle how adorable his boyfriend was. He lifted the divider in between their seats and wrapped his arm around him. Harry had no complaint in his actions as he snuggled into his boyfriend's side, finally able to live out another one of his fantasies. Before long, Harry rubbed patterns in Zayn's upper thigh and Zayn slipped his hand under Harry's shirt, stroking his warm skin underneath.  
They continued to tease each other discreetly and after a while, Harry was practically panting from the lust coursing through his body. "Is it almost done yet?" He whispered into Zayn's ear before licking his earlobe.  
"F uck, babe," Zayn groaned as quietly as he could manage. "Wanna leave now?"  
"If you want." Harry batted his eyelashes in a teasing way, causing Zayn to groan again.  
"I really wanted to watch this though."  
Harry nodded, but still continued to tease Zayn, brushing his hand against his crotch area. "Babe, keep that up and I'm gonna f uck you right here."   
Harry giggled at his boyfriend's words, completely rendered speechless on how to respond. Little did he know that Harry wouldn't mind that offer at all.  
When the movie finally ended (it definitely dragged in Harry's opinion) Zayn grabbed onto Harry's hand, helping him up out of his seat and ushered him towards the exit, with his hand behind his lower back. Once they were secured safely in the car, Zayn turned the heat on, since the night had already grown chilly and asked, "Do you know somewhere we can go to be alone?"  
Harry thought for a second. "Umm, I kinda do..."   
"Ok, take us there."  
"Well... umm... it's like a place where people go to snog and stuff..." Harry felt nervous over what Zayn's reaction would be at taking him to the popular make-out spot.  
"That's great cause that's exactly what we'll be doing." Zayn wiggled his eyebrows in a suggestive manner and was rewarded by Harry's inevitable blush.  
Harry nodded, clearly understanding that now would be the best part of their date. Now would be that perfect moment where he could snog his boyfriend, with no interruptions, just like he'd wanted to do since he first lay his eyes on him. He focused on obeying traffic signals and being careful in his driving, but he did find himself slightly speeding at times since he was so anxious to get to their make-out spot.  
Once they arrived and Harry parked in a secluded spot, he shut off the engine, but his eyes were focused on the steering wheel since he was way beyond nervous to even look at the older boy. Zayn climbed over the console and into the backseat, his hand grabbing onto Harry's to help the boy cross over the seats to join him.  
Zayn had positioned Harry to straddle his lap, each leg on either side of him and stared into his eyes - those beautiful green eyes that had enchanted him since he first saw them the day that he was attacked. Zayn hadn't really realized until now, how truly enchanted he had become from his boyfriend's gorgeous, gorgeous green eyes. He wasted no time in pressing his lips to Harry's and slipping his hands under his shirt to rub up and down his back. Harry responded with delicious moans, which just turned on Zayn even more.  
Harry allowed Zayn to take control of their intimate moment, though he couldn't control his hips from steadily rocking against Zayn's erection. His arousal was already hard and so inviting, that Harry just had to rub his own against his. Zayn had unbuttoned his jeans and slipped a hand in his boxers, cupping his length, hardening him to a point where he thought he would explode.  
"I wanna make you feel good, ok."   
Zayn spoke the words, but Harry wasn't certain if he had asked him a question or just simply stated his intentions. Either way he bit into his lower lip and nodded as he was agreeing to whatever Zayn wanted to do to his body, just as long as he continued to touch him.  
Zayn continued to stroke Harry, tightening his hold as he gently stroked up and down his shaft. He watched as his boyfriend began to fall apart in his arms. He had closed his eyes and moaned and mewled as Zayn continued to stroke him. "You look so hot right now." Zayn admitted, watching a slow and lazy smile spread across his face.  
Harry was so overwhelmed by pleasure that he only half understood what Zayn was saying. He smiled before molding his lips to Zayn's in a kiss that he hoped would display all of the happiness he was feeling at the moment.  
The older boy continued to stroke Harry as he slid down his boxers and jeans further and massaged his balls with his left hand. Harry squirmed on Zayn's lap, feeling so close to reaching his orgasm now. He pulled his mouth away and latched it onto Zayn's neck as his orgasm ripped through his body. He could feel all his energy spill out as he coated his lap and Zayn's hand in his seed.  
"You looked so hot... right now when you came."  
Harry felt embarrassed by Zayn's words and he hid his blushing smile into his boyfriend's neck.  
"Don't hide, babe." Zayn said, pressing a kiss to his cheek.  
"It's really embarrassing, Zayn."  
"I was just speaking the truth." Zayn pulled him away from his neck, cupping his cheek and placed a sweet kiss to his lips.  
Harry was grinning like a madman as he looked at his boyfriend then. "Remember what I told you?"  
"What's that?"   
"That next time it would be a blowjob?"  
Zayn nodded enthusiastically as Harry placed his hand on his chest, pushing him to lay on the back seat as he tugged open his jeans. Once the barriers of his button and zipper were out of the way, Harry eagerly pushed his hand into Zayn's boxers and began stroking his already hardened length. He brushed his thumb over his precum, coating the finger, and brought it up to his lips as he stared intensely at Zayn. He flashed him a seductive smile and moaned at his taste, then brought his mouth down to his length.  
Zayn was now the moaning mess as Harry's warm and moist mouth delivered pleasure to his body. He clutched onto the sides of the seat as Harry's mouth worked its magic, his head bobbing up and down then he twirled his tongue along his length. When he kitten-licked his tip, Zayn lost it then. The pleasure was so overwhelming, the sensations making him feel like he was floating, and his hands clutched Harry's curls. He didn't mean to be so rough with the younger boy, but all he knew was that his body was demanding more. He felt the moment the tip of his length hit the back of Harry's throat and he knew what heaven felt like. This very moment where Harry was pleasuring him, his soft pink lips on him and his hand massaging his balls, urging him towards his climax. He tried to hold back as long as he could, but the suction that Harry had created forced him to spill his seed down his throat.  
The odd thing was that Zayn expected Harry to move once he began cumming, but his boyfriend remained latched onto his length until he completely spilled out. He even had the audacity to lick his lips once he had released him to stare at him, grinning the entire time.  
"You..." Zayn huffed out as he struggled to regulate his breathing. "You... you..."   
Harry chuckled, pressing a kiss to Zayn's lips. Zayn wrapped his arms around the younger boy, but Harry slipped out of his grasp to search for something to wipe off the mess of his cum everywhere. Luckily, his mother was one to carry around spare tissues in the car, so he grabbed a few and began wiping Zayn's fingers and then his own mess in his boxers.  
As he cleaned, he snuck glances at Zayn, his arm thrown over his face, covering his eyes. He wore a huge grin on his face and his chest was heaving, the evidence of his orgasm extremely apparent. "You look so sexy right now, Z."  
Zayn grabbed onto Harry, pulling him to lay down on his chest and wrapped his arms around his waist. "You swallowed." His tone sounded like he was shocked. "You're definitely not going anywhere."  
"That's fine cause I wasn't planning to."  
"Good." Zayn stopped himself from sounding like the possessive type, but his mind declared, You're mine.  
"You know, I'm not even going to ask how you knew about this place." Zayn spoke to break the comfortable silence they had as they held each other in the backseat, basking in their post-orgasmic bliss.  
"Well, you know, people talk. This is actually my first time coming here."  
"Oh really? How come I never knew about this place?"   
Zayn was teasing him, so he was quick in his response. "No offense, but you didin't talk to anyone but Liam. I doubt he even knew about it."  
"True. Sometimes I wonder how we became friends since we're so different."  
"Guess because he balances out the bad boy in you... but then again, you are a nerd, so maybe you have that in common."  
Harry laughed loudly when Zayn responded by tickling him and as Harry fought against his devious hands, he realized this was the happiest he'd ever felt in his life. He was deeply in love with his boyfriend and wished he could hear Zayn say the words he felt.  
Zayn and Harry stayed in that spot for a few hours, continuing to kiss and caress each other. Zayn combed his fingers through the lad's brown curls and Harry caressed Zayn's smooth cheek and across his lips. They talked about anything and everything as they sat there; everything except how Harry truly felt about the older boy.  
"So what do you think Niall and Liam are up to?" Zayn asked.  
"Don't know, but I'm definitely going to find out tomorrow."  
Once they reluctantly decided to call it a night, Harry drove them back towards Zayn's home. They had their hands entwined with the other's as Harry drove one-handed. Zayn took it upon himself to control the radio and they were both relaxed enough to sing along to the songs playing on the radio.  
When they pulled up outside, Zayn sighed before asking, "What are you doing tomorrow?"  
Harry shrugged his shoulders. "Just asking Niall about his night out, but after that, nothing."  
"Great." Zayn tried to act cool, but felt ecstatic that he might be able to see his boyfriend again tomorrow. "So, how about I call you when I wake up and we can maybe do something."  
"Of course." Harry smiled widely, feeling just as joyous over being able to spend more time with Zayn tomorrow.  
"Good, then I'll see you tomorrow then."  
Zayn reached for the car's handle, but Harry blurted out, "I had fun tonight. I wish it didn't have to end."  
Zayn faced the younger boy again, his green eyes shining bright even in the darkness of the car. "I did too." Zayn then added, "Tilt your seat as far back as it'll go."  
Harry nodded hesitantly but still did as he was told. Suddenly, after Zayn looked around to make sure no one was around, he climbed on top of Harry and kissed him deeply.   
"Thanks for being so patient with me about keeping this a secret, Curly."  
"It's no problem. I get why you want to. You went through a lot before."  
"Yeah." After a moment of silence, Zayn said, "Well, I better go before I don't let you leave."  
Harry smiled brighter, however that was even possible since he had been smiling the entire night. Zayn had stolen the words right out of his mouth and now he wanted him to leave even less, but the older boy was out of his lap and out the door. They waved a goodbye to each other and after Zayn walked into his home, Harry drove to his house.  
Surprisingly, his mother was on the couch with the telly on, sipping on a cup of tea. Harry chuckled when he noticed that she was waiting up for him. "Baby! So how was it?" Anne asked, her voice filled with excitement, yet she made no move to get up from her seat. She just patted the seat next to her, signaling for him to sit beside her.  
Harry happily did so. He jumped into the seat and lay his head in her lap and Anne brushed her hand through his hair. "Mum, it was perfect. I'm in love."  
"Well, I wanna hear all about it. I'm gonna make you some tea and I'll be right back."  
Anne returned not too long after with a hot cup of tea and Harry told her a few details involving his family's dinner and all the new tasty food he tried and how they'd gone to the movies, but of course he left out the part about the evening after. He just said they talked the rest of the evening.  
And just when Harry didn't think things could get better, his text message alert sounded on his phone. He thought for a brief moment it was Niall, but grinned when he saw it was from Zayn.  
To Harry: Just wanted to make sure you got home ok  
"Mum, it's him. He's checking to make sure I got home ok." Harry stood up excitedly, with his tea in hand, and added, "I'm gonna take this in my room. Night."  
"Night." Anne sat on the couch a while longer, extremely happy for her son, but she knew this was only the start of good things to come for her son as he was completely unaware of the surprise awaiting him tomorrow.


	26. Surprise...A car

"Mum, won't you tell me what the surprise is already?"   
"Now Harry, what good would a surprise be if I told you?" Anne stated as she grabbed her car keys, her purse and cell phone.  
"But the suspense is killing me."  
Anne chuckled softly. "Just be patient, Harold. I promise it'll be worth the wait. Besides, Zayn shouldn't be the only one who gets to make you smile so much."  
Just hearing Zayn's name had Harry grinning widely.   
Anne noticed immediately how he blushed and grinned so happily. "You see? That's what I'm talking about."  
Harry chuckled in response. "Well, I can't help it. I've had a crush on him for years... so anyway..." Harry attempted to change the subject. What's the surprise?"  
"Good try, Harold. Just get in the car and I'll show you."   
Harry had been sleeping peacefully, since it was obvious he spent the evening texting Zayn after their date, and Anne had woken him up notifying him that she had a surprise for him. At first he groaned, not wanting to be disturbed from his peaceful slumber, but when she told him it was a good surprise, he forced himself out of bed and got dressed and ready. Now he was seated in the car, his safety belt strapping him into his seat.  
"Will I at least be able to take a nap before we get to wherever we're going?"  
"Really Harold?" Anne eyed him with one eyebrow raised. "You can hold up for a few minutes. It's not too far."  
And true to her word, they were soon pulling up to a house with a small two-door car parked in front. Harry stepped out of the car cautiously after Anne parked. He looked around still wondering where in the world they were, when a man with salt and pepper colored hair, stepped out of his vehicle and looked to be a around his mother's age, maybe a bit older. He was about a half a foot taller than Harry, but he wore glasses so he seemed harmless enough.  
"Robin!" Anne smiled and hugged the man once he reached them.  
"Hi Anne. How are you, love?"  
"I'm great. How are you?"  
"Good! Good!" Robin was grinning widely at his mother and Harry cleared his throat, trying to get his mother's attention as the two seemed to be lost in their own little world.  
Anne turned to Harry and added, "Robin, this is my son, Harry."  
"Hello, nice to meet you," Harry responded once Robin shook his hand.  
"And Harry, this is Robin. He works with me at my job and is the one mainly responsible for your surprise today."  
"So does that mean you're going to tell me what it is now?"  
Before either could respond, a bald older man stepped out of the home and made his way towards the three. "Hello, Pete." Robin called out, shaking the man's hand.  
After introductions were made again, Robin then asked, "So Harry, what do you think of your new car?" He signalled towards the red mini cooper and Harry's jaw dropped in shock.  
"Really? It's mine?" Harry rushed towards the vehicle excitedly looking through the windows as Pete unlocked the car. Then he sat in the driver's seat, adjusting his seat and testing the feel of the car. "I love it! But how..."  
Anne cut him off, already knowing that Harry was wondering how she would have been able to afford the car, even at a used vehicle price. "Don't worry about it Harry. It's being taken care of... just enjoy your gift as a gift for passing your driving test."  
Harry rushed out of the car, wrapping his arms around his mother, burying his face into her hair as he hugged her tightly. "Thank you mum... but are you sure you can afford this? I don't want to put you into debt."  
Robin intervened then. "Your mother and I have come to an arrangement and Pete gave her an excellent deal on the car, so no worries son."  
Harry stared at Robin awkwardly for a moment. Did he just call him son? He tried not to think too much into it, hoping that was the way he spoke to men younger than him. But a little while into their conversations, Harry noticed that Robin had been acting a bit too affectionate with his mother. He rested his hand at the small of her back and seemed to stand really close to her and even worse, was that his mother seemed to enjoy his affections as she seemed to touch his arm a lot and smile softly at the man.  
After all the paperwork was handled and Harry was handed the keys to his new red mini cooper, Robin even bravely asked, "Would you both like to join me for lunch today?"  
Anne replied, "Umm, I don't think we can. We really should be getting home."  
"Oh ok." Robin looked absolutely heart-broken at his mum's rejection of his invitation. "Well, I guess I'll see you Monday then." Robin gave his mother a brief hug and she thanked him for his help as he sulked back to his car.  
"Mum," Harry turned to his mother. "He obviously likes you... and I think you might like him too right? Why didn't you go to lunch with him?"  
"Umm, well. I didn't want to leave you alone... and besides it's been so long since I've gone out with a man... I just don't know."  
Harry laughed at his mother's nervousness. "It'll be fine. It's just lunch. He's not asking for marriage... at least I hope not."  
"Harold, you're horrible! Do you think it's all right if I go then?"  
"Yeah, mum. He seems like a nice guy, but if he's not, then he'll have to answer to me."  
"He's actually really nice, Harry. He's done so much for me... you have no idea."  
"Then I say go before he takes off. Besides, I'll just probably hang out with Niall, so it'll be ok."  
"Ok, baby." Anne hugged him and turned towards Robin, calling out his name. "Robin!" She waved as she walked towards his car. He was already strapped into his seat, with his ignition on, when she reached him. "Umm, it turns out I can join you for lunch after all."  
Robin smiled brightly, so pleased that Anne would be joining him. "I'm so glad to hear that."  
"Ok, good. Well then follow me home, so I can leave my car, and then we could go."  
During the drive back to Anne and Harry's home, Harry texted Niall to check if he could hang out today. He smiled to himself as Niall replied that he had previously made plans to hang out with Liam, so Harry knew that meant he would be able to spend the day with Zayn... alone. His body began to vibrate excitedly as he thought about that fact. He told him about his new car and Niall agreed to hang out with him tomorrow so they could catch up on their events so far.  
~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~  
Zayn was laying in his bed, sleeping heavily when his phone began ringing. He groaned when he stirred in his sleep from the many rings of the call. He attempted to ignore the call, but after a few seconds, the phone rang again. He slowly reached for the phone and answered it without looking at the caller ID. "Ello?"  
"Zayn? Did I wake you?"  
Zayn grinned, immediately recognizing his boyfriend's sexy raspy voice. "Hey baby."   
Harry grinned just as widely at Zayn's response. "Hi...umm, I wanted to see if you still wanted to hang out today, but if you're still sleeping, I can pick you up later."  
"No, it's fine. What're you doing?"  
"Well, I'm at home right now... alone and I wanted to see you."  
"Alone, huh?"  
Harry giggled, so glad that Zayn picked up on that bit of info. "Yeah, mum's out with her co-worker and Niall is hanging out with Liam... so yeah I'm all alone."  
"Then come pick me up."  
"Ok, I can be there in a few minutes then."  
"Gimme about half hour. I wanna take a shower before you get here."  
"Ok. I'll be there."  
"Mmm, I can't wait," Zayn purred into the phone, his thoughts already carrying him how nice it would be to cuddle his boyfriend. Harry was giggling adorably over the phone and Zayn teased him a bit. "Are you blushing?"  
"Umm, maybe."  
"Mmm, I bet you are. Can't wait to see you."  
"Me too. See you soon." Harry replied, clearing his throat as he felt arousal course through his body from his boyfriend's teasing.  
When they finally hung up their call, Harry completely forgot to tell Zayn about his new car. As he raced to the bathroom, to take his shower, he realized he would just surprise him also.  
Within the half hour, Harry was knocking on Zayn's front door and the dark-haired lad answered the door, causing Harry to hitch his breath at how gorgeous he looked. He was dressed in his normal t-shirt, jeans and trainers, but he was still the most gorgeous boy Harry had ever laid his eyes on.  
"Bye mum," Zayn called out.  
"Bye Zayn. Bye Harry," Trisha called out to the boys.  
"Bye Mrs. Malik," Harry called back, his eyes still set on his boyfriend.  
Zayn pushed back his seat once he entered the red mini cooper. "So, who's car is this?"  
"Umm, it's mine. Mum got it for me."  
"No shit! Congrats. It's nice."  
"Thanks." Harry discussed all the specs of his new car and the low mileage it had, even though it was an older model. "She told me it's a gift for passing my driving test."  
"Damn, babe. It's a really sweet ride."  
"Yeah, and besides now I have a car to drive us to our dates... or wherever."  
"Mmm, I like that. I'll be able to see you more."  
"Yeah." Harry blushed when Zayn spoke the words he was thinking. He felt so flustered thinking his naughty thoughts - snogging Zayn, his skinny body lying below him, while riding his massive length - that he decided to change the subject. "So, what do you think about Niall and Liam hanging out so much together?"  
Luckily, Zayn followed along. "I think it's good for both of them. It's good for Niall to get out more and for Liam to get a break from all those jocks he's always around."  
"Well, I still think Liam likes Niall as more than a friend."  
Zayn rolled his eyes. "I don't think so babe. I think you're very wrong there."  
Soon, they pulled up to Harry's home and once inside, Harry asked, "Do you wanna watch TV here in the livingroom or in my bedroom?"  
"Your bedroom sounds good. We can cuddle while I go back to sleep."  
"OK. I'll just go get us some waters then and I'll be right in."  
"Ok babe." Zayn pecked his lips lightly, causing Harry to smile widely.  
When Harry joined him in the room, two water bottles in hand, he found Zayn already laying in bed with his shirt off. Harry immediately blushed at the sight of his boyfriend's toned tanned torso. His body temperature rose as Zayn patted his pillow beside his, motioning the green-eyed boy to join him.  
Harry gladly joined him, sliding under his blanket and Zayn pressed his lips to his own. He wrapped an arm around Harry's waist, while he ran the other hand through his soft curls. The younger boy responded by wrapping his arms around his waist as he met his kisses. Harry thought they were going to just kiss a little before Zayn fell back asleep, but he was proven wrong when Zayn straddled his hips and leaned into him to deepen their kisses. His kisses got more intense, his tongue delving into Harry's mouth as he pressed him into the mattress. Zayn's hips were pressing him into his, arousing him immediately, and he rubbed his erection against Zayn's hardening length.  
When his boyfriend began kissing Harry's jaw and neck, Harry giggled and breathed out, "Zayn?"   
Zayn looked at the younger lad, looking so sexy, biting his lower lip with his eyes closed and he replied, "Hmm?" and returned to licking and placing teasing kisses to his neck.  
"I thought you wanted to sleep." Harry was teasing him and he was sure Zayn knew too. It's not like he didn't want to be doing this with his boyfriend, but he was still unsure how far he wanted to go with the hazel-eyed boy. He thought he was ready to have sex with Zayn before, but now that he had time to think things over, sex was a big deal for him. He'd no longer be a virgin and he wasn't sure if he would disappoint Zayn, not knowing how experienced he was.  
"Mmm," Zayn moaned into his neck. "Tell me this isn't what you were thinking when you wanted me to come to your house since you were all alone. Go ahead and tell me that lie." Harry giggled, knowing that his boyfriend had figured out his motive. "You see, I knew I was right," he added.  
"F uck," Harry panted as Zayn bit into a tender spot between his neck and shoulder blade, immediately causing him to harden in his jeans. "You're right... you're so right."  
"Hmm, me too." Zayn pulled away from him briefly to tug at Harry's shirt, pulling it up over his head and tossing it haphazardly into his room, not caring where it landed. Zayn pecked his lips again and unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans, pulling the garment down, and Harry lifted his hips, assisting him with the task. Once they were off, he threw them across the room as well. Harry was now laying there in his boxers, panting heavily as he watched Zayn's beautiful hands work on his own jeans as he pulled the material down and off. The only difference is that Zayn had taken his boxers off at the same time, so he was now naked, so Harry became even more nervous.   
So this was it, it was going to happen. He was going to have sex with his crush of 5 years now. Five years of fantasizing about this very moment and now that it was happening, Harry had no clue of why he suddenly began trembling. He tried desperately to control the tremors racking his body, but it was no use. His nerves were taking over and he felt close to tears.  
Zayn noticed immediately that his boyfriend was shaking. Even though he was intensely aroused from this intimate moment, he was still watchful, making sure Harry wouldn't experience an asthma attack. "Babe, you ok?"  
Harry's nervousness raised his voice a higher octave than usual. "Umm, yeah."  
"Are you having an asthma attack?" Zayn pried his lips off his boyfriend, to stare at him cautiously.  
Harry shook his head. "No, not at all."  
"Then why are you shaking, love?"  
"It's just... I'm trying to stop, sorry."  
"What is it? What's wrong?" Zayn soothing tone as he brushed his hands through the Harry's curls touched his heart, but the green-eyed lad was still so tense over what was happening.  
"I'm just nervous," Harry finally admitted.  
"Nervous about what? We're just doing what we did last night."  
"I'm a virgin though, Zayn. I'm scared, ok."  
"Wait! I hope you're not thinking we're going all the way." Zayn stared at Harry and when he didn't answer, only glanced away, Zayn had to stop himself from gushing at the boy in his arms. "Babe, don't worry. We're not even close to having sex yet. I'm kinda old fashioned in that sense that we need to have more dates and stuff before we cross that bridge, ok. I mean, I still wanna do other things with you, like this, but I'll stop if it's making you uncomfortable."  
Harry beamed at Zayn, so grateful that his boyfriend was so understanding and his love for the older boy just grew immensely. "No, I like this stuff. It's the actual penetration part that scares me."  
Zayn kissed his lips briefly before he added, "Good I like this stuff too. Besides, I may not know much about gay sex, but I'm pretty sure that it requires lube or else it's painful for you. So unless you have it laying around, then you're safe."  
Harry giggled and shook his head. "No, I don't have any."  
"You see? Then you're safe," Zayn teased, smiling at his boyfriend. "So, you feel better now?"  
Harry nodded, already feeling the tension ebb away from his body. "Yeah," and to prove his point, he grabbed the back of Zayn's head, pulling him down to reattach their lips.  
Zayn tried to move a lot slower now after their talk, but Harry was aggressively rubbing his boxer-clad crotch against Zayn's erection and the dark-haired boy was close to just ignoring what he said and burying himself in between his boyfriend's thighs. He might not know anything about anal sex, but he was sure he could figure it out since Harry was now arousing him so much. But then, if he really thought about it, he should be just as nervous as Harry was because despite his bad boy persona, he was still a virgin himself in both ends.  
Sure Zayn might've been able to lose his virginity by now and there had been a girl that was interested in him before he moved, but it never happened. He was never able to go out with the girl, all because of what happened with Anthony. Zayn tried to ignore his thoughts of his former best friend, since it would only make him angry again and besides he couldn't be too angry, since everything that happened led him to this moment with his sweet and gorgeous boyfriend. "I'm so happy I met you, Curly." Zayn spoke the words, needing him to hear how he felt at that exact moment.  
Harry again beamed up at the dark-haired boy with the flawless tanned skin and replied, "I'm so happy I met you too."  
They embraced each other tightly in a hug and Zayn burrowed his head into Harry's neck. Harry wasn't sure exactly what was happening at that moment, but he knew it was affecting Zayn. He kissed Zayn's hair and face, wherever he could reach as he was restricted in his movement since Zayn had his body pinned down. He brushed his fingers through his raven-colored dark hair and allowed him his moment.   
"You ok babe?" Harry asked.  
"Yeah." Zayn brought up his head, forcing a smile . Luckily, he wasn't crying, but he still had a distant look in his eyes, but he kissed him anyway. He kissed him so tenderly that Harry felt breathless from the intensity of his lips pressed against his. Harry knew close to nothing about emotions and relationships, but he was hoping Zayn was showing him love. He hoped that his boyfriend had been falling for him at least a little bit, because Harry had fallen so desperately in love with him, that he would be devastated if he ever lost him. He fought with his urge to tell Zayn exactly how he was feeling, to utter those three little words that would change their relationship forever, but he would wait. He would be patient enough to wait for Zayn to say those three little words to him first, hopefully he would someday.  
They continued their snog as their hands continued to roam each other's bodies, familiarizing themselves with all its' contours. When Zayn tugged down his boxers, Harry's breath hitched, his anxiety evident, but Zayn said in a soothing tone, "I just wanna see you."  
Again, Harry nodded and blushed as Zayn's gorgeous hazel eyes roamed over him seductively, almost as if trying to memorize every detail that made him... him. Zayn gripped his erection then, stroking him gently and when Harry tried to move to give the older boy a blowjob, Zayn pressed him back against the pillows.  
"I wanna see you."  
Zayn continued to stroke his length up and down, increasing his speed as time progressed. Harry grabbed onto his hardenend arousal also, increasing the speed of his strokes in time with his. Harry tried to continuously follow Zayn's lead in every aspect of his actions. He allowed him to decide the pace to move their relationship. They continued to kiss and work their lengths together, and when Harry climaxed first, Zayn followed after. Zayn collapsed on top of him, burrowing his face into his neck, as Harry panted near his head, allowing their breathing to return to normal. The younger boy was drenched in their combined come, but he didn't care. He was truly happy.  
I love you, Harry spoke in his mind.

They were snuggled in bed watching TV, after cleaning themselves up, when Harry's cell phone began ringing. He wondered if it was his mother calling to let him know she was OK and when she would be returning home. He knew they would have to get dressed soon since they were both still naked under the covers, but he enjoyed this intimate time with his boyfriend.  
"Hello," Harry answered.  
"Harry?" The all too familiar Irish accent called over the phone, but his tone sounded panicked and like he was crying.   
"Hey Niall. What's going on?"  
"I need you to come get me. Please, come get me."  
Harry shot up in the bed. "Of course. Where are you? Are you ok?"  
"I guess I'm ok. I'm at a bakery, close to Liam's house."  
Harry hopped out of bed, pulling all his clothing back on and turned to Zayn. "Z, get dressed. We have to go get Niall."  
Zayn's eyebrows shot up in confusion, but he did as he was told. He was re-dressing himself and asked, "What's wrong? I thought he was with Liam. Did something happen to Liam?"  
"Niall, what happened with Liam? Weren't you just with him?" Harry asked, grabbing his car keys and wallet.  
"Yeah." Niall released a frusrated sigh. "Am I on speaker right now?"  
"No, you're not."  
"Well, I'm telling ya cause you're my best friend, but please don't say anything."  
"Ok, I promise."  
"Liam, he...umm... he kissed me today."  
"Oh my god! I knew it!" Harry tried to tone down his excitement to not alert Zayn, but he was still grinning.  
"No, Harry! I didn't want that to happen. I don't know if I'm... gay," he whispered the last part. "I mean there's nothing wrong with it, since you are and I love ya to death... but I'm just confused now."  
"Well, that's understandable."  
"And I'm sure I hurt Liam's feelings too. I just sat there in shock when it happened, then took off running."  
"It's OK, Niall. Just tell me where the shop is and we can talk about it, ok."  
"Ok Hazza."  
Harry drove towards the shop, with Zayn sitting beside him and the hazel-eyed boy asked, "So what's going on?"  
"Umm..." Harry had to think quick. "He and Liam got into a... disagreement and Niall's now at a bakery and he needs a ride."  
Zayn's eyebrow shot up again in confusion. "That's weird. Liam's such a chill guy. Wonder what happened."  
Harry just smiled at him, reaching over to join their lips together in a kiss, before adding, "I'm just glad you're OK with me."  
"Of course I am. You're my gorgeous boyfriend."  
Harry giggled as Zayn thread their fingers together and searched through the radio for a good tune. Poor Niall and Liam though. How were they going to be able to deal with what happened now?


	27. Sleepover... and Caught

Zayn was currently flipping through the many channels on Harry's living room TV. He sighed from the boredom he felt as he just sat there on the couch, feeling restless from the curiosity gnawing at him. Shortly after they had driven to the bakery to pick up Niall, he and Harry had closed themselves off in Harry's room asking him for some privacy while they spoke.  
He knew that whatever was going on in that room was important as they had been closed off in there for about 15 minutes now. He wondered how much longer they were going to be in there, because he actually missed his boyfriend, and as he lay on his side settling himself to try to nap, his cell phone rang.  
He pulled the ringing phone out of his jean's pocket and saw that it was Liam.  
"Hey," he answered.  
Liam's voice, sounding panicked and completely flustered replied, "Hey. Umm... can I have Harry's number?"  
"Yeah, guess so." Zayn was unsure of why he would need his boyfriend's phone number, so he asked, "Why do you need it?"  
Liam sighed heavily. "I... umm... I just need to talk to him."   
"Well, what about?"   
"It's just... umm... it's kinda important and I need to talk to him right away."  
Zayn wasn't exactly sure why he was giving him such a hard time, but he was bored and Liam was paying the price now. "Ok, I'll give it to you the number when you tell me why."  
Liam began sniffling over the line and Zayn felt horrible when it seemed the brown-eyed boy was possibly crying. "Just please... I just can't right now..."  
"Li, what the hell is going on? Are you crying?"  
Liam swiped away his tears with his sweater sleeve. He wasn't going to admit to Zayn that he was crying, especially because of the huge mistake with Niall. "I just need to know if Niall is ok, all right! He isn't answering his phone and I'm so sick right now with worry that something might've happened to him."   
He sniffled over the line again and Zayn felt even worse now. "He's ok, bruv. He's talking with Harry now so that's probably why he's not answering..."  
"What? How do you know? Are you with them now?"  
"Yeah, we're here at Harry's..."  
"Did he tell you what happened? Is he pissed? Do you think he'll never want to talk to me again?"  
"Not sure, Li. They've been talking for a while, but no one's told me what's going on."  
Liam huffed out a relieved breath. Niall was OK. He had been just as confused when he kissed Niall, not planning on doing that to his new friend, and when Liam finally got a hold of his bearings and planned to talk it out with Niall, the Irish lad had taken off. Liam thought he could catch up with him since he thought he was a good runner from his football practice, but he soon learned that panicked Niall was a faster runner. When he finally reached the front door of his house, he looked to the left then right of his neighborhood, but there was no sign of his blond friend. Then as he definitely couldn't find him on foot anymore, he retrieved his car and drove, looking for him since. "I'm glad he's OK."  
"Ok, now you have to tell me what happened. I know it's something big cause Niall looked scared out of his mind and now you're freaking out."  
"Well, Zayn, umm... it's not that I wouldn't tell you what happened... it's just... uh... I wanna talk to Niall first about it."  
"Fine, then you should come over and do just that." Zayn's tone was serious and Liam knew that tone. It was his don't-give-me-bullshit tone, so he knew that he meant business.  
"I don't know... I'm not sure he'll want to see me yet..."  
"Liam, cut the crap!" Again his serious tone. "Come over here now and talk to lil Irish."  
"Ok, I guess you're right. Even if he doesn't want to see me, I at least need to apologize."  
"Well, there you go."  
Liam had to be extremely close to Harry's house because less than 3 minutes later, he was knocking on the door. Zayn opened the door and let the brown-eyed boy in. Zayn realized that his friend looked horrible with his red, puffy eyes and his red nose, all indicating that he had been crying.  
"Li, no offense, but you look like shit," Zayn admitted.  
"Well, to be honest, I feel like shit. Umm... so where is he?"  
"Anxious, are we?" Zayn teased, causing Liam to snicker before rolling his eyes. Liam followed Zayn to a door, which Liam assumed was Harry's room and Zayn asked, "Harry, can we come in?"  
Harry was sitting on the bed beside Niall when he heard Zayn's voice. If he had really been paying attention, he would've realized that Zayn asked about "we" instead of "I." "Sure, come in," Harry replied.  
Both he and Niall were absolutely shocked when Liam walked in beside Zayn. "Hi, Harry... Hi, Niall," Liam greeted as he entered.  
Niall was the first to ask, "What are you doing here?"  
Liam rubbed a nervous hand on the back of his neck, trying to soothe the tense muscles and replied, "I wanted to apologize. I'm sorry... but I really think we should talk too... I mean if that's OK with you?"  
Harry watched as the flustered boy spoke to his best friend, but he raised a questioning eyebrow to Zayn. His boyfriend just shrugged his shoulders as he turned to view the conversation with Liam and Niall.  
The Irish lad nodded his head and replied rather timidly, "Sure, we can talk."  
Liam finally felt a genuine smile stretch across his face now. "Thank you Niall." He then turned to look at Harry, questioning, "Is it OK if we talk in private?"  
Harry looked at Niall. "Only if Niall wants to."  
Niall nodded and forced a smile. "Yeah, Haz. It's OK."  
"Fine. Then I'll be out here if you need anything." Harry replied, rather dryly. He was not happy about the football player being in his home after making Niall so upset, but he would let him say his peace.  
After Zayn shut the bedroom door behind Harry, he grabbed his boyfriend's hand and led him to the couch. "I finally get you back all to myself." Zayn went in for a kiss, but Harry turned his head and dodged his lips. "What's the matter, babe?"  
Harry was pouting now and had crossed his arms over his chest. "Do you really have to ask Zayn?"  
"Don't tell me it has to do with those two in the room, Curly."  
If Harry hadn't been so upset about everything, he would've realized that his boyfriend called him his favorite nickname in the world, and that alone should have been enough to lift his mood. "Of course it's about them. I don't feel right leaving him alone with Liam right now. I don't want him influencing Niall. He needs time to think things over."  
"Ok, then tell me what's going on because everyone is being secretive about this and it's pissing me off now."  
Harry let his emotions override the fact that Niall didn't want Zayn to know what happened because he knew it would upset Liam. "Liam kissed Niall, ok."  
Zayn's look was way past shocked. "No fuckin' way!"  
"Yeah he did and Niall's confused now. He's confused over his sexuality and Liam being in there with him, flashing his puppy dog eyes at him is not helping his situation out."  
"Hey now. Do you have the hots for Liam too now?" Zayn's jealousy peeked its head, showing concern that he would have competition over his boyfriend now.  
"Of course not. It's what Niall said. He said he's got adorable little brown puppy dog eyes." Harry gasped, covering his mouth with his hand. "Damn! I wasn't supposed to say that."  
"It's ok, love, I won't repeat it. So what are you saying? Liam's gay now?"  
"I have no idea what he is, but Niall shouldn't be alone with him right now. He's emotional and he doesn't need to be making any decisions when he's feeling sorry for Liam."  
"Babe, I don't really think Liam's gonna be pushy with him. Just let them talk it out and if we need to intervene, then we will."  
"Yeah, you're right, but I'm still worried."  
"Well, don't be." Zayn reached for his curly-haired boyfriend and lifted him by his waist to sit on his lap, placing his legs on either side of him so he straddled him. "Now gimme a kiss before they come back out."  
Harry tried to remain serious, but he was already giggling and his arms wrapped around his boyfriend's neck. "Zayn, I don't think we should." It was seriously hard to resist his boyfriend at that moment when he was staring at him with such a lustful glare and licking his lower lip and he eyed Harry's mouth, but he knew he had to stay alert to Niall's dilemma. He had to keep away from Zayn's distracting lips and be ready to spring into action if his best friend needed him. "What if Niall needs me?"  
Zayn groaned, pressing his lips to Harry's neck. "I need you more right now." And with that said, he thrusted his hips upwards to rub them against the green-eyed boy's rear end. "I've been out here alone for almost half an hour and I'm done with being neglected. Is this why you had me come over, to ignore me?" Zayn continued necking his boyfriend, licking that sensitive spot where the bottom of his ear met his neck before nibbling on a spot right about his shoulder blade.  
Harry was unable to resist the hazel-eyed boy any longer and closed his eyes as the pleasure washed over him. "I didn't mean to... I'm sorry."  
Zayn groaned again. "Just kiss me already."  
Harry giggled, blushing at his boyfriend's demanding tone, but did as instructed. He pressed his full pink lips to Zayn's and shoved his tongue in his mouth, deepening the kiss. He grasped onto Zayn's cheeks as he took control of their make-out session, suddenly feeling bold over his actions. Today was honestly one of the best days of his life, from the new car to just now realizing that Zayn wanted him as badly as Harry wanted him. He had to admit, he loved his boyfriend's one-track mind.  
"Don't leave me like that again." Zayn demanded, sucking on the same spot where his previous hickey was. He was determined to make the healing bruise fresh again, to mark his boyfriend to show everyone he was off limits. "I missed you, Curly."  
Harry tilted his head back, trying to quiet the moan that was escaping past his parted lips, but still allowing Zayn full access to kiss his exposed neck and anywhere else he wanted to place his lips on. Harry was now grinding his hips in a circular pattern on Zayn's lap, pulling his body flush to his as he moved on his lap. "You missed me?" Harry giggled again. "I was just in the other room."  
"Yeah, but I couldn't kiss you. My lips missed you."  
"Shit Zayn," Harry moaned and arched his back to bury his head in Zayn's neck. "You turn me on so much." And just as he said the words, he felt Zayn's hardened cock rub around then thrust into his rear area. Harry knew that if it wasn't for the material of their boxers and jeans, he wouldn't be a virgin anymore.  
"F uck! You turn me on too." Zayn suddenly picked Harry up and off his lap and tossed him to lay against the couch cushions. Harry pressed his hand against his mouth, stifling the excited laughter from his boyfriend's sudden aggressive action. Zayn wrapped Harry's leg around his waist as he thrusted into his boyfriend, or as much as he could with all the material hindering the action. "How do you do this to me?"  
"Guess it's only fair. I've wanted you for so long, Z." Harry admitted, not even caring that his boyfriend knew he was crushing on him for so many years.  
"Damn, babe. How many years have you wanted this?"  
"Five years. Five long years." Harry moaned loudly when Zayn began rubbing his palm on the front of his skinny jeans. Zayn pressed his other hand over Harry's mouth, trying to suppress the sound from reaching Liam and Niall.  
"Five years? Damn! We could've been doing this for five years if I had only taken the time to find you." Zayn reached into Harry's jeans, sliding down his zipper, and palmed his erection. "We gotta be quick ok."  
Harry nodded, but still asked, "Do you think we can? We're gonna get caught." But as his thoughts filled with doubts, he was still palming Zayn over his tight jeans as well.  
"It'll be ok. We just have to be fast."  
They continued snogging as their hands reached into the other's jeans and worked on their erections.

Meanwhile, while Zayn and Harry were busy wanking each other, working quickly to not get caught, Niall and Liam were in the midst of their important talk.  
Niall had patted the spot beside him on Harry's bed, signalling Liam to sit beside him.  
Liam sat beside him, feeling nervous that he was seated beside the Irish lad on top of a bed. He would be concerned about the temptation if he weren't as confused over his sexuality as Niall was. He began speaking, just to end the deafening silence in the room. "I'm so sorry about today, Niall."  
"It's all right, I guess," Niall replied, timidly.  
"Of course it's not all right. Look at you. You're scared to even look at me all because of my mistake."  
It's true, Niall did have his eyes concentrated on staring at his hands and not at Liam. It wasn't the fact that he was scared of Liam, he was just scared of how he felt about him and how one look into those sweet brown eyes of his, and he could make a decision he'd regret later. Niall brought his eyes up to stare at him now and just as he thought, he melted into those huge brown saucers of his.  
"I didn't mean to ruin our friendship, Niall."  
Niall knew he had to say something... anything to get Liam to stop beating himself up over the kiss. "You didn't ruin it. Seriously, I'm still your friend." He forced a small smile on his face and his eyes had strayed to his lips now. Niall could honestly say that now he knew how soft those lips were and it wasn't all bad at all. Liam moistened his lips with a swipe of his tongue and swiped away a tear that rolled out of the corner of his eye. "Don't be sad, Li." Niall couldn't control himself from comforting his friend. He threw his arms around him and pulled him close, resting his head on Liam's shoulder.  
"Thank you so much, Niall."  
They sat there for a few moments in complete silence, just embracing each other and soaking up the other's comfort.   
Liam was the first to break their silence. "So, where does this leave us now?"  
Niall shrugged his shoulders, not really knowing what he wanted and he wasn't going to string him along. "I guess for now, friends. I still wanna be your friend." At least he knew that with absolute certainty. He did want to keep his friendship. He was the only other person, other than Harry, to disregard all his awkward shy ways and treat him as a real friend.  
"I'm absolutely fine with that. Even if your friend-zoning me, I'm completely fine as long as I get to keep you in my life."   
Liam smiled at him and his heart fluttered at the sight of happy Liam. He felt proud of himself for making him feel somewhat happy again. Niall couldn't help but chuckle himself at his statement. "I don't mean to friend-zone you."  
"I'm just kidding, Niall. I'm definitely fine with being just friends."  
Niall nodded, but then asked, "Umm... if you don't mind me asking, was I the first boy you've ever kissed?" He suddenly felt stupid for asking LIam such a personal question and he didn't want to make things any more awkward for them. "I mean, you don't have to answer that if you don't want to..."  
Liam interrupted him then. "No, I don't mind you asking. I think it's time I talk to someone about things anyway. You're the right person for me to start talking about this with since I know you won't judge me."  
Niall again nodded as Liam began recounting his tale. He told him how he had been having these confusing thoughts ever since the start of his 5th grade year. Louis was a year ahead of him and had been going through puberty that summer and as he began growing facial hair and his voice changed, Liam had felt attracted to him. He still found girls pretty, but he was crushing on the feather-haired blue-eyed boy more than them. Liam wouldn't admit it out loud, but he was sure that was what caused the animosity with Harry. He was jealous that Harry had occupied so much of Louis' attention when they were younger.  
Niall listened as he told him that even though he found him attractive also, Liam promised he wouldn't make any more passes at him. He promised he wouldn't do anything to make Niall feel uncomfortable and ruin their friendship.  
"Well, maybe you're bisexual."   
"I'm not sure. I read up on the different sexualities and I guess I could be bi, pan or fluid. I don't care about putting any label on myself. I just wanna be me, you know, but I'm not going to be telling anyone else, especially the guys on my team since some of them are major homophobes."  
"Yeah, well your secret is safe with me."  
"Thank you Niall and thanks for listening."   
Liam gave him a soft kiss on his cheek and Niall felt another flutter in his heart. He wasn't sure what it meant, and he was definitely going to check into the various types of sexualities because as he stared at Liam's beautiful brown eyes, he began to think that maybe liking him back wouldn't be such a bad idea. He might want to give Liam a shot and see where things would lead, but he wanted to be absolutely certain about his decision before he made it.

"Damn Zayn," Harry groaned into Zayn's neck as he welcomed that familiar coil in his belly as his boyfriend continued to stroke him until he came in his boxers.  
"F uck you look so sexy babe." Zayn groaned out once he spilled in his boxers also.  
Zayn didn't even allow them time to let their breathing return to normal. He held his jeans closed with one of his hands and grabbed Harry's hand with the other. He pulled him towards the bathroom and they worked on cleaning up themselves quickly to avoid getting caught.  
They were giggling from all the adrenaline still coursing through them at what they had just done. "I can't belive we just did that." Harry chuckled, as he stared at his boyfriend.  
"Yeah, we did, but we didn't get caught. That's the important part, dimply."  
Zayn kissed his dimpled cheek and Harry stared at him with a questioning eyebrow. Zayn understood what he was silently asking. "You're dimples are so deep right now, so I know you're really happy. As much as you like to pretend you're such an innocent boy, I know you like that adrenaline rush, you bad boy." Zayn kissed his cheek again. "My boyfriend, the closet freak."  
Harry laughed loudly now. He found his boyfriend's words so funny at that moment. Maybe he was right, he definitely felt alive with excitement at the risk of getting caught, but who could blame him. He had fantasized about being with his boyfriend for FIVE LONG YEARS.

When Liam and Niall finally joined them in the living room, Harry eyed the pair curiously. The pair was holding hands and smiling at each other as they walked up to them. Niall was actually staring at Liam with a smitten expression on his face and Harry didn't like it one bit. It's not that he was jealous exactly, it was more of a protective feeling that washed over him. He was really worried that Liam had actually swayed Niall's decision and he felt uneasy about leaving them alone. Before he could think over his decision, he asked, "How about we have a sleepover tonight?"  
Harry suddenly had 3 pairs of eyes staring his way. Liam asked first, "Are you sure? I didn't bring anything for a sleepover."  
"Well, you could go to your house and pick stuff up if you want. Niall already has stuff here for when he stays over, so he can stay here while you go get your stuff." Harry was insistent Niall stay so he could ask him what he decided.  
"Well, ok... why not? I haven't really done the sleepover thing in a while." Liam smiled at Niall and squeezed their still joined hands.  
"Yeah, we can watch movie and play games or whatever," Harry continued, trying to sell Liam on the idea.  
"Ok, sure. I'll just run home real quick and grab some stuff and tell my parents where I'll be. Be right back, ok." Liam finally pulled his hand out of Niall's grip as he said his goodbyes, ready to head back home.  
Before he walked out the door though, Harry called out, "Oh and if you have an extra sleeping bag, bring that too cause I only have the one."  
Liam nodded and exited his house and Harry attacked Niall with questions immediately. "So, what's going on with you two? And that hand-holding? What did you decide?"  
Niall blushed from all the questions, but honestly he had liked holding hands with Liam. He told them that they would remain friends and nothing more, but Niall was considering experimenting with him a little. He really didn't want to string Liam along, but at the same time, he wondered how it would feel like to be with a boy and why not find out with Liam. He was a good person and he knew he'd never force him into anything he wasn't ready for. So even though he told Harry and Zayn they would remain only friends, he knew he would have to eventually discuss how he felt with Liam.

Once Liam returned, they did watch a movie and played a horrible game of truth-or-dare. Liam had rotated between the truth and dare, whereas Zayn kept asking for dares. Both Harry and Niall played it safe with asking for truths. Zayn didn't want to play the dumb game, but it was making his boyfriend happy, so he went along with it and tried to enjoy himself. That is until, Liam asked Harry, "So, who's your crush?"  
Harry grew very nervous as he eyed Zayn, but he knew he was supposed to keep quiet about their relationship, so he lied and replied, "No one." Then suggested that they do something else since he was tired of the game.  
They ordered pizzas, where Liam and Niall had a pizza each since they had big appetites, but Harry and Zayn split one pie between them, so 3 practically empty boxes later, they began dozing off. Niall had curled up on Liam's lap and had fallen asleep a while back and Liam stared at the boy in his lap fondly as his hand strayed to his hair, brushing it occassionally when he thought no one was looking, but Harry saw everything. He wasn't even paying attention to whatever was playing on the telly because all he could focus on was his best friend.  
Zayn began stifling his yawns next and said, "Well, I'm turning in."  
Liam agreed and picked up Niall bridal style. Niall immediately nuzzled his head in the crook of the brown-eyed boy's neck, not waking up at all from his sleep. Liam couldn't resist smiling down at the boy in his arms, feeling absolutely smitten with the blond lad.  
When they got to Harry's room, there wasn't much of a discussion about the sleeping arrangements. Liam had pointed out that Harry and Zayn should share the bed, while he felt more comfortable on the floor with Niall in the sleeping bags. Harry agreed, but he kept sitting up in bed every few minutes to check on his best friend, to make sure Liam kept his hands to himself.  
Zayn whispered, "If you don't stop moving, I'm going home."  
"Sorry," Harry replied. He couldn't sleep so he walked to the kitchen to make himself a hot cuppa tea, hoping that would soothe him.   
Zayn wasn't one to let his boyfriend roam out there alone, so he dragged himself out of the bed and followed him out there. "Hey," he whispered, scaring the green-eyed lad, causing him to jump and almost spill his tea. "Can't sleep?"  
"No." Harry shook his head. "This whole thing with Niall has me nervous."  
"Well, you can't let it bother you babe. It's his life and whatever he decides, you just have to be supportive." Zayn walked up to his boyfriend and wrapped his arms around his waist, pressing against his back, and resting his chin on his shoulder.  
"I know you're right." Harry brought the tea cup to his lips and blew on it, ready to take a sip when Zayn leaned his head down, indicating he wanted a sip first. Harry smiled at his adorable boyfriend as he turned in his arms and brought the cup to his lips, blowing in it again to make sure it was cooled down some more for his dark-haired love. Zayn took the sip, then cupped Harry's cheek in his hand, and pressed his lips to Harry's. Harry set down the cup and wrapped both of his arms around his boyfriend's neck, deepening the kiss. They were kissing deeply, and only pulled apart when they heard the clearing of a throat.  
Harry felt too flustered to look at whoever it was. Could it be his mother? She was home, but had fallen asleep with her door closed, and he was quiet to not wake her up.  
"Oh... umm... hi, Liam..." Zayn nervously stumbled over his words.  
"Hey Zayn. Hey Harry. You having trouble sleeping too? I was just looking for some water."  
Harry motioned at the fridge with his hand, but kept his hands over his face, feeling completely flustered at being caught. Zayn was the one who felt brave enough to explain, knowing he was going to have to talk his way out of this. "Listen Li, I can explain..."  
Liam chuckled. "Explain what? That you and Harry were snogging? It's fine. I already knew."  
Harry faced him at that confession, asking, "How did you know?"  
Zayn was upset now. If Liam knew, then how many other people knew? He couldn't have a repeat of what happened before at his other school, happen again. His tone was serious when he asked, "Yeah how?"  
Liam continued to smile at the pair. "A little birdy accidentally told me one day."  
"Let me guess... a little Irish birdy?" Zayn asked, his arms crossed over his chest.  
"Maybe, but he also told me how sickenly sweet you are to each other and I thought he was exaggerating, until I witnessed it myself. You two are sickenly sweet. I think I have a cavity."  
Harry walked back to Zayn, hiding his blush by burying his face into his chest. Zayn wrapped his arms around his boyfriend. "Careful how you talk about me and my boyfriend."  
Liam raised an eyebrow at Zayn. "So he's your boyfriend now? Well Niall didn't tell me that."  
"Well he is, so watch your mouth." Zayn tried to sound threatening, but there was more humor in his voice then he intended. "But don't go telling everyone either. We kinda wanna keep our relationship quiet for now."  
"That's no problem. I won't tell anyone. Besides we're in the same boat, I guess. I like Niall myself and I won't say anythings to the lads on the team cause I know some of them are homophobes."  
"Thanks, Li."  
Harry spun around in Zayn's arms, but his boyfriend still held him by his hips, pressing his back against his chest. "And Harry, don't worry about Niall. I really like him and the last thing I wanna do is hurt him. I mean I would like him to be my boyfriend, but if all he ever wants to be is friends, then I'm ok with that. I promise to respect his decision."  
"Thanks for saying that," Harry replied. "I feel better now that I know you won't force him. He's my best friend ya know."  
"Yeah, I understand and he's lucky to have you looking out for him. And I'm sorry for how I treated you in the past. I hope we can get past that and start over again as friends."  
Harry nodded, smiling happily. "Yeah, me too. I'd like to start over as friends."  
"Great. I'm glad that's all cleared up. Well, goodnight. I'm off to bed."  
"Ok, we'll be in in a bit," Zayn replied, nuzzling his head into his boyfriend's neck, inhaling the intoxicating scent of his cologne that still lingered from earlier. "Feel better babe?"  
Harry turned back in his arms, facing his hazel-eyed Adonis. "Yeah I do. Now that I know Liam's intentions. I trust his word."  
"Good babe. Now kiss me before we go back in there," Zayn teased, smiling deviously at him.  
Harry shook his head, and said, "You and your one-track mind." But he pressed his lips to his boyfriend anyway and kissed him full of passion, finally feeling a huge weight off his shoulders. Another person knew about their relationship and hopefully soon, Zayn would feel confident to reveal their relationship to everyone. He hated not being able to kiss him whenever he wanted.  
"Yeah, but you love this one-track mind."  
"You're right I do." And I love you. Harry also wished he could say those words out loud.  
Then continued to snog for a while longer until they returned to Harry's room quietly, holding hands the entire way.


	28. A Bump In The Road

Harry crawled his way to hover over Zayn, trying to wake him up as quietly as possible. "Babe," he whispered with no success. Zayn still continued his slumber, so he tried again, shaking his upper body a bit. "Babe," he whispered in his ear.  
"What?" Zayn groaned, still not opening his eyes.  
"Shh!" Harry whispered. "You need to see this."  
"See what?" Zayn whispered back, scrubbing his hand over his face, having a horrible time willing himself awake.  
"Just sit up for a second."  
Harry seemed way too excited about whatever he wanted to show him, so Zayn forced himself to sit up. Harry motioned him to scoot closer and lean down to look over the side of the bed. There he saw Liam holding Niall as both boys slept. "Nice," Zayn replied, crashing back against the pillows, closing his eyes and willing himself back to sleep.  
Harry lay back down beside him, staring at his boyfriend, asking in a low whisper, "How did you not find that absolutely adorable?"  
Zayn shrugged his shoulders in response. "Dunno."  
"They're so cute, Zayn. They're cuddling."  
Zayn chuckled lowly finding his boyfriend completely adorable at the moment as he fonded over his friends. He grabbed him by the waist and pulled him suddenly to lay under him, kissing his cheek. "Nah, you're cuter."  
Harry covered the laughter that was escaping through his fingertips at the sudden repositioning of his body, but then smoothed his hand down Zayn's cheek. He stared lovingly into his boyfriend's hazel eyes and smiled, not able to hide the intensity of how he felt at the moment. "You're such a sweetheart, Z."  
"Hey, what have I told you about starting those rumors? Bad boy remember." Zayn winked at him and his inevitable blush colored his cheeks, making him swoon that the school's 'bad boy' was actually his boyfriend and looking at him as if he were the most precious thing in the world. He wasn't sure if he was right in assuming that, but he was hoping he was because that's exactly how he felt about Zayn.  
"Oh, that's right...I keep forgetting."  
"Lemme remind you then."  
Zayn kissed along his neck and slipped his hand into Harry's underpants. Harry had worn a t-shirt and his boxers to bed and Zayn wore the same, having borrowed a t-shirt from his boyfriend while he kept his own boxers. The older lad kept kissing him and stroking his cock, and Harry couldn't control his moans. He was trying to keep quiet, trying to keep their fooling around unknown, but he found out early on that he wasn't in control of his body when it came to Zayn. He always found himself willing to try whatever Zayn wanted because he was his fantasy man incarnate.  
So, because Harry's moaning and Zayn's loud kissing woke him up, Liam groaned out, "You two really trying to get off with us in the room?"  
The blush that coated Harry's cheeks from the embarrassment he felt was the deepest scarlet color Zayn had ever seen. Zayn teasingly raised his eyebrows at his boyfriend, but replied, "No. Of course not."  
However, neither of the two was a good liar as they both laughed, knowing that they had indeed been caught.  
Niall rubbed the sleep from his eyes when the conversation woke him up. He still had his head layed on Liam's chest, but Liam held him against his body when the younger blond boy tried to sit up. Luckily for Liam, Niall didn't struggle at all. In fact, he actually snuggled deeper into his frame and smoothed a hand down his side. "What's going on?" The Irish lad asked, his voice vibrating into the brown-eyed boy's chest.  
Liam had to compose himself because he was rendered speechless from the erotic sensations he felt from the motion of Niall's hand on his midsection. He cleared his throat, looking at Niall, before replying, "Umm, they were gonna get each other off while we're in here."  
Niall smirked up at Liam, his eyes casting a teasing gaze on him and Liam had no clue what was going on. He wanted to laugh out loudly when he realized he had to just be imagining these things. It was just wishful thinking on his part because there was actually no way Niall was flirting with him... right?  
Niall responded, "Hazza... is that true?"  
Harry continued to laugh, finding it impossible to lie to his best friend, especially over such a sensitive subject. "No... of course not."  
Zayn just shook his head at the adorable boy in his arms. "Such a shit liar," he teased in a soft tone.   
Harry playfully smacked his arm. "Hey, this is all your fault."  
"No no no... don't blame your outta control hormones on me," Zayn teased back.  
"Zayn!" Harry's jaw dropped open in exaggerated shock. "You started it!"  
"Nope. You started it." Zayn chuckled, caught up in their little blame game.  
"You started it!"  
Liam interrupted them then, sitting up while still pressing his hand against Niall's back. "Who cares who started it...point is you were going to scar us for life. Right Niall?"  
Niall chuckled along with the other lads. "Yeah!"  
"You see?" Liam then turned to Niall adding, "Maybe we should be heading home before we end up getting a sex ed lesson."  
Zayn fell back against the pillows, holding Harry to his chest. "Nah, Li. You'll definitely wanna see this." He placed his lips on Harry's neck, sucking on the bruise already there, knowing that was Harry's pleasure spot. He already knew that Harry would moan at the contact and he wasn't disappointed when his boyfriend released that sensual moan. He felt guilty for a moment, seeing Harry clamp a hand onto his mouth, trying to cover the illicit sound. He didn't mean to embarrass his boyfriend, only wanted to prove a point.  
"I think you're right, Liam," Niall spoke, while covering his ears with his hands. "Maybe we should leave them alone."  
"No! Don't leave yet!" Harry moved from Zayn's arms and the older boy whined, trying to reach for him, but Harry softly smacked his hands away. "We'll stop." Harry was dying to talk to Niall about everything with Liam and he didn't want him leaving yet.  
"No, maybe we should-" Niall was interrupted by a knock on Harry's bedroom door.  
Anne opened the door and said, "Ahh! I see you're all awake. Hope you boys enjoyed yourselves last night. Why don't you all get cleaned up and I'll start on breakfast."  
There was a chorus of, "Thanks, mum" and "Thanks, Mrs. Styles" before she headed back out towards the kitchen.  
Liam used the bathroom first to brush his teeth and clean up. Harry didn't waste any time attacking Niall. He pulled on his arm and forced him to sit beside him on his bed and asked, "So, how was last night? You two looked so cute together cuddling like that."  
Zayn just rolled his eyes, realizing that his boyfriend sounded like he was fan-girling over his two friends. Niall just laughed. "Everything's OK, Haz. He's just really comfortable to sleep on, I guess."  
"I saw. So, do you like him?" Harry asked and Zayn tuned in better to their conversation, wanting to know the answer to that question too.  
Niall shrugged his shoulders. "Not sure. We're friends right... and he's nice and all..."  
"Well, he told us last night he really likes you." Harry couldn't hold back on sharing that bit of information Liam told him during the evening.  
Zayn soflty back-handed Harry's arm. "Babe, I don't think Liam wants you telling him and you said you wouldn't interfere."  
Harry turned to Zayn, replying, "I know. It's just they look so cute together and Liam said he wouldn't force him... and I really wanna go out on double dates with 'em. I mean, how great would it be the four of us going out as couples and doing coupley stuff together..."  
Niall stared at the bedroom door, hoping for Liam to hurry up and come back to escape Harry's ranting about all the dates and stuff they could go out on together. He was really starting to feel uncomfortable as Zayn and Harry got caught up in their conversation about them, talking about their relationship as if he weren't even in the room. Zayn telling Harry about letting them go at their own pace and asking Harry why he changed his mind so fast about them being together. Then Harry responding that he wanted them to be happy and they both could make each other happy.  
Luckily, Liam wasn't gone too long and saved him from the nerve-wracking conversation. As soon as Niall heard Liam's footsteps, he hurried towards him and pulled his arm, dragging him away from the room, stating, "I'd stay away from them right now if I was you. Trust me."  
Liam grinned, asking, "They being obnoxious again?"  
"Yeah, but this time it's about us."   
Niall left a confused Liam standing there as he made his way to the bathroom now to take care of his morning faculties. Liam pondered what Niall actually meant by his words as he made his way towards the kitchen and sat down as Anne made breakfast. She provided him with friendly banter until everyone else joined them. He was definitely going to have to ask Niall what the two boys were saying about them as his curiosity was gnawing at him.  
Once all teeth were brushed, bladders emptied and Harry and Zayn's morning snog was out of the way (yes the young Zarry boys just couldn't keep their hands or lips off of each other, so they sneaked in the occassional snog), the 5 of them sat at the kitchen table munching on breakfast.  
Anne asked, interrupting the boys' conversation, "Are you all ok to get home today?"  
Harry responded first. "Yeah, I can take Zayn home."  
Liam replied next, "And I'll take Niall home."  
"Great!" Anne smiled at them. "Because I'll be gone most of the day today." She eyed her son as she spoke the words, wondering what he might be thinking.  
"Really? Where you going?" Harry asked, his green eyes staring at her curiously.  
"Well, Robin has a friend who just opened up a gallery and he has invited me to come join him to setup."  
Zayn's hazel eyes grew wide. "As in an art gallery?"  
"Yes," she replied.  
"Oh! That's amazing! I'd like to see it some time."  
Anne was all smiles and responded, "I'm sure it's no problem. I'll check with Robin, of course, but I'm sure I could have you all attend the opening night."  
The other 3 boys seemed happy, but Harry kept a straight face. "So, are you two dating now?"  
Anne inhaled a deep nervous breath, worried about how Harry would feel about their spending time together. Even though he had been fine with them before, she didn't know if he would change his mind now. "No, of course not, Harry. We're just spending some time together. Is that all right?"  
Harry shrugged his shoulders. "Well, it's your life and as long as you're happy... I guess so."  
Zayn eyed his boyfriend curiously, wondering why Harry was being so quiet now. "So, do you know what kind of artwork his friend does?"   
Anne smiled at her son's boyfriend, so grateful that he changed the subject as she didn't want to address her son's obvious mood change over the subject of her seeing Robin. "Nope, don't really have a clue..."  
Everyone kept up the friendly banter, except Harry, who was eating slower than usual and pushing around the food on his plate as he pouted.  
Liam and Niall decided to go home after that, both boys claiming they had a lot of assignments to complete to turn in on Monday when they returned to school and Anne left shortly after that to meet up with Robin.  
Once both Harry and Zayn were alone, sitting in the living room staring at the telly, Zayn asked, "Why are you acting like a miserable twat?"  
"I'm not!" Harry crossed his arms over his chest, adding, "Well, wouldn't you be if your mum started dating again? I mean, Robin seems like a good guy and all, but I don't wanna think about my mum dating and having sex and all."  
"Well, you know she is a beautiful woman and she's going to meet someone who will marry her again." Zayn tried to be the reasonable one, but Harry continued to look upset.  
He huffed out an exasperated breath, rolling his green eyes in the process. "Yeah, don't remind me. I was kinda hoping that would be a long time fron now. Like I would've been graduated from university and moved out by then."  
"Do you know you're gorgeous when you're moody?" Zayn's flirty teasing raised Harry's mood as the older boy grabbed onto his hands, tugging him to sit on his lap.  
"And you make it hard for me to be upset about anything." Harry positioned himself to straddle his boyfriend's lap and nuzzled his face along his neck. He licked his ear lobe before licking around his outer ear and darting his tongue within his canal.  
"F uck!" Zayn groaned, gripping onto his hips, rubbing his body against his own. "Where'd you learn that?"  
Harry removed his tongue, shrugging his shoulders, and replied, "I just felt like it."  
"Damn babe. You keep that up and I might be tempted to do dirty things to you."  
The younger boy giggled into his neck. "Dirtier than what we've been doing?"  
"Oh yes! Way fuckin' dirtier."  
"I'm game," Harry replied, grabbing onto Zayn's hand, pulling him to stand up, and pulled him into his room. Zayn followed along, no questions asked, as he felt thrilled over the fact that Harry was taking the lead this time. He knew that his boyfriend's confidence would be short-lived, so he allowed him to do as he wanted for the moment.  
When Harry pushed him softly and he fell onto the bed, he laughed from the unexpected action. Before he could move himself too far up the bed, Harry was already on his hands and knees crawling towards him. He pressed his lips to Zayn's and the older boy held onto his head, threading his fingers into his curls. "I like when you take control like this," Zayn admitted once they separated from their kiss.  
"Really?" The green-eyed boy's eyes shone with the excitement that Zayn was being serious by his words.  
"Mmm hmm."  
And that's all it took for Harry to take control of their snogging session. He ran his hands all over Zayn's chest and arms and rubbed his groin area over his. "Too many clothes," Harry spoke before pulling Zayn's shirt up. Zayn helped him out by pulling it off the remainder of the way and tossing it into the room, then returned his hands to Harry's waist.  
"Your turn," Zayn teased.  
Harry pulled off his shirt as well and soon they had simultaneously removed their jeans and boxers and lay together gloriously naked. "Is this ok?" The younger boy blushed as embarrassment tinted his cheeks.  
"Of course, you sexy boy. This is more than great. You amaze me."  
The compliments stroked Harry's ego enough that he returned to his confidence state once again. He rubbed his erection against Zayn's and the older boy had to resume his control. He flipped Harry onto his back and pressed his hard dick against the younger boy's rear end area. "Mmm, Zayn," Harry moaned at the contact of his his boyfriend pressing against him.  
"F uck, babe. It's so hard to control myself. I want you so bad."  
"I want you too, Z."  
"I'm not going to go all the way ok, just like I promised."  
"Ok, love." Harry wrapped his arms around Zayn's neck and held on tightly as Zayn rocked his body against his. He had this nagging feeling that he and Zayn were treading dangerous waters, since they no longer had the barrier of clothing in the way, but he pushed that worry away and just basked in the pleasurable feeling.  
Zayn grabbed onto Harry's length, stroking him in time to his thrusts as they continued to make out, lips molding and tongues colliding against the other's. They were coated in a light sheen of sweat by the time they reached their peak and bathed each other with their come, Zayn collapsing on top of his boyfriend.  
"You know we're gonna have to get cleaned up soon," Zayn whispered into Harry's neck after Harry refused to let him get up.  
"Later, I'm comfy right now."  
Zayn just chuckled in response, bringing the hand he was holding, their fingers interlaced together, to his lips and kissing it.  
Meanwhile, while Harry and Zayn were busy getting each other off, Liam and Niall were sitting in Liam's car outside of Niall's home.  
"I really had fun today and last night too," Liam began.  
"Yeah, me too," Niall responded, nodding his blond head.  
"I wish it didn't have to end."  
"Yeah, same here."  
"And I have a ton of assignments to do when I get home," Liam sighed, dreading having to go home to face all that work.  
"Do ya think ya might need help?"   
Liam grinned widely. "Actually, yeah. I'd really love some help."  
"Well, I'll go check with me mam about staying over to help ya... I mean if ya want."  
Liam smiled at Niall's adorable Irish accent. He seemed nervous, so his accent had grown thicker. "Yeah, of course I want you to come over."  
Niall's heart skipped a beat when Liam's brown eyes seemed to sparkle from his happiness. He was going to have to figure out how to explain things to Liam soon because he actually wanted to kiss Liam again for how adorable he was being, but he knew it would only confuse things between them until they talked things over. "Ok."  
Within a few minutes, Niall returned with his school books in hand and his backpack. "Hope ya don't mind if I take a shower at yer home... unless ya want to wait for me to take one here... I guess I should've asked before..."  
Liam stopped his rambling. "It's ok. We can both take a shower at my place."  
"Great!" Niall stored away his belongings in the back seat and when he sat down beside him again in the front seat, Liam grabbed onto his hand.   
"At least you're hands aren't cold again."  
Niall shook his head, wondering what he meant by that, but their hands remained locked the entire drive to Liam's house.  
Once they arrived at Liam's home, the brown eyed boy allowed Niall to take his shower first while he told his family that he and Niall would be locked up in their room for the remainder of the day to study and complete a project. He made his family promise there would be minimal interruptions to them because he was hoping to convince Niall to take a nap with him. Even though he had slept at Harry's, he had a restless sleep where he kept waking up to the stirring of Niall beside him.   
Liam entered the shower right after Niall and when he returned, towel drying his shower-dampened brown hair, he found the blond lad already curled up in bed, struggling to keep his eyes open. He decided to just wear his boxers and a pair of blue shorts and when Niall caught sight of his toned chest and muscly arms, he visibly gulped, but Liam had been unaware because he was staring fondly at Niall fighting with his sleep.  
"Hey sleepyhead," Liam grinned at him as he locked his bedroom door and sauntered his way over to Niall.  
"Hey, Li. Come join me." Niall patted the spot beside him and Liam slid in, bringing the covers up to cover them both.   
"How did you know I like sleeping on this side of the bed?"  
"I didn't. I just took this spot." Niall stifled a yawn with his hand and snuggled closer to Liam.  
"I'm glad you want to take a nap cause I was going to ask you."  
"Yeah."  
"Night, Niall." Liam placed a kiss to the blond boy's cheek and Niall instantly blushed.  
He laid there very still, trying to figure out how he was going to bring up the subject of what he was feeling at that moment. "Umm, Li..."  
"Hmm?" Liam questioned, his eyes starting to close.  
"I wanted to ask ya something." Liam hmm-ed and nodded for Niall to continue. "Umm, do ya mind if I kiss ya..." Liam's eyes snapped wide open, wondering if he'd heard him wrong. "I mean, if it's ok..."  
"What do you mean by that?"  
"I'm not really sure what it means... I mean I'm still confused, but I want ta kiss you, if that's ok."  
Liam was grinning madly at Niall's words. "Of course." He straightened up in the bed, staring intensely at the blond lad as he inched his lips closer to his and pecked his lips lightly. He hid his face into the pillow after pulling away from the kiss and Liam stared at him fondly.  
"Niall?" Niall looked up from the pillow, but he was sporting the biggest smile he'd ever seen on a person. "Does this mean you wanna go out with me?"  
Niall shrugged being completely honest. "I don't know yet, Li. I hope that's ok... I mean, I don't wanna feel like I'm using you..."  
"It's all right. We can take it as whatever speed you want."  
"Thanks." Niall was completely unprepared for Liam responding with another soft kiss to his lips before placing a kiss to his temple.  
"Thanks for trying, Niall."  
"Of course."  
After a round of goodnights, the boys fell asleep, snuggling in each other's arms. Niall rested his head on Liam's chest, while the brown haired boy wrapped his arms around him in their slumber. They would deal with all the messy talk about their relationship later. For now they just basked in their sweet moment.

However, while things seemed to be progressing nicely with Niam (Niall and Liam), Zayn had encountered an issue when he returned home later on that day. His mother had seen him walk through the door and followed him up the stairs to his room. "Zayn," she called out.  
"Yeah, mum," Zayn replied, standing in his room's doorway.  
"Is there something you wanna tell me?"  
Zayn wondered what she was referring to. "What do you mean?"  
"Well..." Trisha hesitated for a bit before continuing. "I know you're 17 and almost a man now, but I want to make sure you're being careful."  
"Of course, mum. Why do you ask?"  
"It's just, if you have a girlfriend or whatever, I wanna make sure you're being responsible."  
Zayn was even more confused now. "I don't know what you mean, mum."  
"Well, you have bruises on your neck, Zayn. I mean, I don't want to know if you're having sex or not, but I think you should bring this girl by to meet the family."  
Oh Fuck! Zayn thought. Harry must have marked up his neck and now his mum had the wrong idea. Ok, so maybe she wasn't way off because he was in a relationship, but how in the world was he going to explain being with Harry, a boy? He wasn't ready to reveal that part of himself to his family.  
Ok, so now he had to convince his mum that he was seeing some girl while he made sure to tell Harry next time about being careful not to mark him again. Now he had to find "some girl" who could cover up his tracks, but he wasn't sure who and if he should even tell his boyfriend about this dilemma. He felt Harry was just a bit too insecure to deal with this issue in their newly formed relationship. He couldn't risk Harry feeling that Zayn was embarrassed about being his boyfriend, so he knew it would be for the best. Ok, so he would keep this secret from Harry until he was forced to tell him if anything went wrong.   
Nothing would go wrong, right?


	29. Burden of a Secret

Zayn slammed his hand down hard on his alarm clock, wanting to stop the incessant buzzing sound. He absolutely hated the sound, but he couldn't change his alarm clock to wake him up with music, since he learned first-hand that he ends up sleeping through the music. After being super late to school a few times, it resulted in him changing his alarm to the annoying buzz.   
He scrubbed his hand down his face, already feeling agitated that it was Monday morning and he had to return to school. Even though, he knew he should feel excited that he would be seeing his boyfriend, Harry, he was feeling weighed down by the burden of keeping his secret. He had lost tons of sleep over this entire mess and last night was even worse, since he was festering over the knowledge that he was going to have to introduce his "girl" to his family soon. The problem was who was he going to bring over because the only girl he really interacted with was Lottie, but that was briefly and that had led to him confronting his feelings for Harry.  
He sat up, forced himself up and out of the bed, and trudged his way to his bathroom. When did his life turn into such crap? Could he pinpoint the start of it to when his friend Anthony tried to kiss him? Or when he started his new school in London and accepted his "bodyguard" assignment? No, he couldn't even call those instances bad, since they had all led to finding his boyfriend and even though this stress was because of him, he wouldn't change a thing about those circumstances that led him to meet the bright green-eyed boy.  
Once Liam arrived to pick him up, Zayn sat beside him in his car, but was too wrapped up in his own shit storm to realize his good friend was absolutely glowing from happiness. He was singing along loudly to the songs on the radio and was dancing, even though it was terribly uncoordinated. Zayn faced him after a bit and asked, "What's got you so happy?"  
Liam raised his eyebrows. "Hmm? Oh-oh nothing really. It's just such a beautiful day, you know."  
Zayn was still not in the best mood, so he replied, "No it's not. It's fuckin' gloomy as shit already. It's London for god sakes."  
Liam just laughed, shaking his head, smiling the entire time. "I didn't mean the weather. I just meant like life in general. I mean, you have Harry and I have Niall..."  
Zayn interrupted him then. "What you mean you have Niall?"  
Liam chuckled, realizing his slip of tongue. "Whoops! I-I..." he began stuttering, not thinking quickly enough to get off the topic of Niall.  
"Ok, spit it out. You two fuck or something?"  
Liam cheeks tinted in embarrassment. "No, no, nothing like that. We only kissed a little."  
"You mean after you left Harry's?"  
Liam nodded, but focused his puppy dog gaze on Zayn. "Please don't say anything. Niall doesn't want me telling anyone since we're taking things slow. He doesn't even want Harry to know yet cause he doesn't want to feel pressured about anything."  
Oh great! He now had to keep another secret from his boyfriend. "I won't say anything."  
"Promise, Zayn. I don't wanna mess up my chances with him."  
"Damn! I said I promise!" Zayn lowered his tone then, realizing maybe he should listen to his friend's love life to feel better about his tumultous one. "So, tell me what happened with little Irish?"  
Liam was back to being the grinning and completely love sick boy. "I guess I could tell you since I don't have anyone else I can talk to about this." Liam went on to tell him how they had spent their Saturday napping at his place and when they woke up, they were sort of eskimo kissing (just rubbing their noses together and smiling at each other) before they ventured out to softly peck each other's lips a few times. Liam did his best at toning down how unmanly that all sounded, so Zayn wouldn't take the piss out of them, but he still managed to anyway.  
"Well, isn't that so damn adorable," he rolled his eyes with his sarcastic reply.  
"Oh, shut it!" Liam teased. "You're one to talk. You're the one head-over-heels for dear old Harry."  
"I'm not, you damn wanker!"  
"Yeah, you are! Oh Harry, let me get you some tea. Oh Harry, let me rub your back..."  
"I'm gonna kick your arse, Liam."  
Luckily, Zayn's tone was playful, so he knew he wasn't being serious. "You're just mad cause you know it's true. You're absolutely in love with that lad."   
Zayn got lost in his thoughts for a bit as Liam kept continued to tease him and then returned to singing along to the radio again. Liam was definitely out of his mind because there was no way he was in love with Harry already, was there? Ok, so maybe he did rub his upper back a little that morning after their sleep over, but Harry had complained about a crick in his neck, so he was just helping him out. And that part about the tea was wrong because Harry had made the tea and Zayn had just shared a few sips from it. But he couldn't help thinking, if Harry had asked him to make him tea, would he have gotten up and made it for him? He loved seeing his boyfriend happy, so maybe he was starting to feel something real for him. He shook himself out of those thoughts. There was no way. It was too early into their relationship and damn he felt like a girl, worried about his feelings.  
"You arse!" Zayn punched his shoulder, blaming him for his tangent thoughts.  
"Ouch, what was that for?" Liam rubbed the spot where the punch landed.  
"Cause you're the one in love with Niall."  
Liam sighed heavily. "I think you may be right. I didn't see him at all yesterday and I miss him."  
"Fuck, Li!" Zayn's laughter boomed in the car. "You whipped already over a few kisses?"  
"Shut up! I'm not whipped!" Liam sighed again. "I keep trying to convince him to come to my practices, but he says he'll only go if Harry goes."  
When Liam casted that same pitiful gaze on him, Zayn objected. "Oh no! I'm not using Harry to help you with your boy toy."  
"Geez! Some friend you are. Come on, Zayn. Why not?"  
Zayn released an exasperated breath and replied, "Fine! I'll ask, but I'm not forcing him ok."  
"Thanks, mate. That's all I want."  
Zayn did feel his mood lighten a bit, but then it dropped again once they arrived at school and Liam asked, "Don't you meet up with Harry to walk him to his classes and stuff?"  
"Yeah."  
"So, is Niall with him?"  
"Seriously Li? You can't wait til you see him later?" Zayn teased.  
"Well, I wanted to see him. It's no biggie." Liam tried to be casual about the situation, but he wanted to see the blue-eyed lad, he wanted to start his morning off right by seeing the gorgeous boy.  
"Sure. I do meet up with 'em every morning, so just follow me."  
Zayn rolled his eyes when he could practically feel Liam's excitement. "Thanks man."  
However, once Zayn eyed Harry leaning against a wall beside Niall, laughing at whatever they were staring at on a cell phone, Zayn felt better. It seemed that either Harry had sensed his arrival or he was just gazing around for him, but once his green eyes met with his hazel ones, his boyfriend grinned madly. Harry immediately walked up to Zayn, grasping onto his leather jacket and embraced him in a tight hug. He nestled his face into Zayn's t-shirt and whispered, "Morning, babe."  
"Morning Curly. How are you today?" Zayn replied, hugging the boy to his chest.  
"Good. U?" Harry stared up at his boyfriend, his wide grin splitting his face.  
Zayn hummed in response and asked, "So, what's got you so smiley today?"  
Harry shrugged his shoulders. "Juat happy to see you. I didn't get to see you yesterday and I missed you."  
Zayn hugged him closer. "We texted all day though." He then sighed, admitting, "I missed you too."  
They continued hugging and Liam cleared his throat. "Do you believe these two, Niall?" He asked, rolling his eyes.  
NIall chuckled in response, while Zayn scoffed and released his hold on his boyfriend. "Oh whatever! You were the one crying about how you missed little Irish yesterday."  
Liam blushed, obviously embarrassed at being called out. "I was not crying."  
Niall blushed even redder than Liam, feeling uncomfortable from the attention and from Harry and Zayn's eyes staring at him. "What?" He groaned out before turning and walking through the doorway of their school.  
Liam stared at Zayn, his brown eyes filled with anger. "See what you did?"  
"Aww, come on Niall! I was just teasing!" Zayn called out, but Niall kept walking at his steady pace, while Liam sped up his walk, trying to catch up with the blond-haired boy.  
Harry turned to Zayn, trying to flash him a disappointed look, but it turned into a fond stare. "You know that wasn't very nice of you."  
"Damn, I was only joking around. I forgot how sensitive he is."  
"Yeah, you should probably apologize."  
"I know." Zayn pulled out his cell phone from his jeans pocket and texted his apology, telling Niall that he would aologize in person when he saw him at lunch. He showed Harry Niall's reply text, accepting his apology. He was so grateful that Niall didn't end uo holding grudges; he was just as forgiving as Harry.  
Zayn hated that he was already having a rough morning that seemed to just add to his crummy mood, residual from his rough weekend. He was so looking forward to sneaking away for his morning snog with his boyfriend, but as he and Harry made their way towards the restroom, they had to stop in their tracks and turn to leave. Their normally empty bathroom was now occupied by a boy standing by the sinks, holding tissue to his bleeding nose, while another boy helped him to stop the bleeding.  
He groaned as they walked to Harry's next class. Harry definitely felt the tension exude from the older boy and placed a reassuring hand on the sleeve of the black leather jacket he was currently wearing. "Hey, you ok?" Harry asked in a concerned tone.  
"Yeah," Zayn sighed. "Just frustrated."  
"It'll be ok... lunch time..." Harry wriggled his eyebrows, causing Zayn to chuckle at the green-eyed boy. Luckily, he was able to pick up on the suggestive code, so he caught on that Harry would sneak away with him during lunch and Zayn began feeling impatient having to wait that long. For some reason, he felt like if he could lose himself for a while in Harry's lips, then he might start to feel better about his dilemma.  
However, when lunch rolled around, it was filled with more disappointment. Harry told Niall that he and Zayn would be right back, but when they made their way to Zayn's secret smoke spot by the dumpsters, they had to turn around again because a teacher was having a very heated discussion with someone on her cell phone, and they weren't going to risk it, and again Zayn groaned. "No, I don't care where the hell you go... just get your shit out of my house tonight!" They heard her yell. They raised up their eyebrows and stared at each other for a moment before bursting with laughter as they made their way back to Niall.  
When they returned to their table in the outside patio area, Niall had already been joined by Liam, not surprising though in Harry's opinion. He could tell that the football player had been into his friend from early on.  
"Hey Li, what you doing here?" Zayn asked as they sat beside the boys.  
"Oh you know, just felt like having lunch with you lot today," Liam replied.  
"Umm... don't you normally sit with your team mates?" Zayn asked, his tone teasing.  
Liam chuckled briefly, eyeing Niall's blush spread on his face, making the lad look adorable. "Yeah, but I felt like a change in company." Liam smiled at Niall, but then fixed Zayn a hard stare. "Is there a problem with that?"  
Zayn could already feel Harry's warning stare on him, so he shook his head, but smirked. "No, not at all... Feel free to join us anytime."  
While Liam and Niall chatted away, Harry turned to Zayn. "You know it's really flattering that you're upset because we haven't been able to snog." He joked, but that was enough to get Zayn's mood to lighten somewhat and he turned to grin at the lad.   
His boyfriend was going to be the death of him; he was just too adorable sometimes. "Yeah, and if you keep biting your lip like that, I may just have to do more than kiss you... and I might just do it in front of everyone too."  
"You wouldn't dare." Harry was embarrassed, but excited at the same time that Zayn would follow through with his threat. He hadn't even realized he was biting his lip until Zayn pointed it out, but then he caught himself biting it more often as he fantasized about his boyfriend actually having his way with him in front of everyone.  
"Hmm, I just might."  
Lunch flew by rather quickly and their afternoon classes dragged, but were finally over. Whatever was weighing on Zayn's mind seemed to really be distracting him. As soon as the final bell rang, Zayn had grasped onto Harry's hand and thread their fingers together as they made up to meet up with Niall. He even kept their hands clasped together after the three of them entered Harry's car and he drove them home.  
When they arrived to Harry's house, Zayn was still moping, so Harry said to Niall, "Niall, we're gonna have a talk. Be right back."  
Niall chuckled, smirking at them as he nodded and turned up the volume of the telly. "Have fun!" He teased.  
Harry shook his head and pulled Zayn into his bedroom by his sleeve and they sat beside each other after Harry had closed his bedroom door. "Zayn, you've been quiet all day. Tell me what's going on with you."  
"It's nothing to worry about, love. Just have some issues I'm dealing with."  
"You sure?" Harry questioned, his eyes filled with worry over what could be troubling his boyfriend.  
"Yeah, I'm sure."   
Zayn forced a smile, but Harry saw right through it. He knew there was something troubling him and he was worried to find out what it was. His voice became uncertain as he asked, "Is it me? Did I do something?"  
Zayn's heart broke at that moment. He felt like shit for making his boyfriend worry. He moved closer to Harry, grasping his hand and intertwining their fingers again. "It's not you at all. PLease don't think that." Zayn felt like such a liar at that moment. Even though his issue wasn't directly related to Harry, he was a huge part of it.  
The older boy still seemed lost in thought, so Harry felt the need to help ease whatever was weighing his mind. He leaned into his boyfriend, pressing their lips together and kissed him passionately. He used his lips to deliver the message that he loved him and he would be there for him for whatever he needed. He used his tongue to deliver the message that he would never tire of his lips, his taste, his sweetness, everything that revolved around his lover.  
Zayn definitely felt how differently Harry kissed him and though he knew he had nothing to worry about, he needed to soothe Harry's worries. He kissed him back with the same vigor, burying his hands in his soft curls as he tilted his head to deepen the kiss.  
Zayn found himself laying on his back holding onto Harry's hips as his boyfriend hovered over him, their lips still blissfully connected in their snogging session. The older boy moaned out in pleasure as Harry's hands roamed his torso, then unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans. His eyes were closed and he grinned, thinking his boyfriend would tease him with his hands a bit, but was surprised when he felt his lips wrapped around his length.  
He hissed out, "Oh fuck, baby!" threading his fingers into the younger lad's curls. Harry smiled around his cock and relaxed his mouth as he went down lower on his length. His tongue swirled around his shaft, coating him with his warm saliva and Zayn's eyes screwed shut from the fantastic feeling of Harry's lips. The green-eyed boy kitten-licked the slit on the head of his cock a few times before he took Zayn by surprise again and took him down his throat. Zayn began writhing beneath him and a string of obscenities, but also praises on what a good job he was doing, flew out of his mouth. He couldn't believe Harry was actually deep-throating him. His blow jobs felt amazing enough, but with this new addition to his method, Zayn was coming down his throat in no job.  
"Fuck! I love how your mouth feels." Zayn gasped out as he collapsed against Harry's pillows while his body floated back down from the high of that spectacular orgasm.  
Harry grinned widely at being able to bring his boyfriend this pleasure. It was a truly humbling experience to bring the school's 'badboy' to such a weak state. He curled up into Zayn's side and stared at all the flawless features that embodied the older boy. Harry was working on calming his excited body, his ragged breathing and his heart thumping hard against his ribcage, from his turned-on state.  
Suddenly, Zayn hovered over him and was freeing his erection from his jeans and wrapped his lips around his cock, in the same manner as he had done for him. "Oh damn, Zayn. Are you sure you wanna do this?" He hissed when Zayn's tongue licked over the slit of his cock, losing his train of thought.  
"Mmm hmm," Zayn replied and resumed licking up and down his length. He wasn't sure how to deliver the same pleasure to Harry since he'd never sucked dick before, but he was basing his actions off the way that he liked to be sucked.  
"I mean, I know you're still dealing with me... you know, being a boy and all..." Harry moaned loudly when his tip reached the edge of his throat.  
"Shh!" Zayn demanded. "Don't say that. You're my fuckin' sexy boy." Zayn placed him back in his mouth, but he wasn't able to return the favor of deep-throating. He had no idea what his gag reflex would be and he didn't want to risk being sick on Harry. He continued to work his mouth, hollowing his cheeks and increasing his sucking pressure, causing Harry to grip into the short dark strands of his hair.   
"Mmm, Z, that feels so good... don't stop..."  
He continued sucking, while using his hand on the remaining length that didn't fit into his mouth until Harry arched his back upwards, Zayn's name fallen from his lips, and came in his mouth. Harry felt embarrassed that he came without warning him, but he was too lost in the pleasure of his mouth, too lost in the euphoric sensations.  
Zayn had tried to swallow the salty, sweet liquid, but Harry had spilled so much that he just held it in his mouth until he was able to zip up his jeans and run to the bathroom to spit out the excess.  
"Sorry," Harry called out as he ran out of the room, but Zayn just waved it off.  
When Zayn returned, Harry apologized again. "Sorry for that."  
"Don't worry about it. Sorry I didn't swallow like you did."  
"No worries." Harry smiled at him as Zayn leaned over him and kissed his lips. "That felt amazing." He gushed as he wrapped his arms around the older boy, pulling him closer to him.   
They kissed again, then Zayn asked, "That was my first blow job. Did I do all right?"  
Harry nodded. "You were excellent. I hope that's the first of many more to come."  
"Hmm... well I think you've earned it... you deserve it...the way you work it...cause boy you earned it..." Zayn sang his own rendition of The Weeknd's Earned It and Harry giggled into his neck, swooning over being serenaded by Zayn.  
As they lay there cuddling for a bit before they joined Niall back in the living room, Harry felt grateful that he was at least able to make Zayn smile. He only ever wanted his boyfriend to be happy and it lightenend his heart to be the one who made him happy.

That evening after Harry dropped Zayn off at his home, Zayn felt irritated over the fact that his mum had brought up the subject of bringing his "girl" over for dinner to meet the family again. So, because he wasn't ready to tell his family about his real relationship and he didn't want to risk losing Harry, he was now sitting on a chair in his room dialing a number that was stored in his phone, but he never thought he'd use.  
The phone rang twice before a female voice answered, "Hello."  
"Hey Lottie, it's Zayn. Not sure if you remember me..."  
"Oh yeah, Louis' friend. It's been a while. How have you been?"  
She was absolutely right. It had been a while since he last spoke with Lottie and Louis had given him her number the Monday after they had met, but he plugged it into his phone and never thought about calling her since he had gotten with Harry. "I've been good. How about you?"  
The conversation carried in a friendly manner. Zayn asked, "So, what you doing Friday night?"  
"Well, I gotta watch Louis' game, but I'm free after."  
And as they arranged a time for him to pick her up and confirmed that she would be having dinner with him and his family, a guilty feeling washed over him. Even though he was doing this to help with his and Harry's relationship, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was cheating on Harry.  
Zayn hung up the call after the conversation ended and worked on Harry's portrait, adding a few more details and more blond highlights into his curly hair. He'd come to realize that his boyfriend had the most luscious and soft curls and he worked on capturing them perfectly since they were his favorite to constantly touch. He ran the back of his index finger down the portrait's cheek and whispered, "I'm sorry, love. I don't ever want to hurt you."


	30. Deception leads to the truth

The following morning, Zayn jumped in Liam's car, but this time his mood wasn't so gloomy. Sure, he still had the guilty feeling nagging at him, but he decided he would push the worry into the dark recesses of his mind, just like he'd done when he was a victim of bullying. He just stored all that negative feeling in that part of his mind with all the hurt he felt from being called such negative names and all the taunting he had endured.  
And, of course, when he looked at Liam, his grin was splitting his face. "Oh damn, do I even wanna ask what happened last night?" Zayn questioned, teasing his friend over how happy he seemed.  
"What?" Liam used his hand to cover his grin, but it was no use. It seemed to be permanently glued to his face.  
"You know what. I'm sure you're dying to tell me... so go ahead."  
"Zayn, I have no idea what you mean."  
Zayn smirked at him, realizing his friend was trying to delay telling him, but he looked about ready to burst from his excitement. "Hmm? Tell me... what have you and little Nialler been up to?"  
"Fine, if you insist." Liam had acted like it was such a chore to tell him, but his excited tone gave him away. "Well..." he paused, hesitating even longer, before continuing. "Niall agreed to go out with me on Saturday. I just don't know if we should just do dinner and a movie or just Netflix and chill." He wanted to go out with him Friday night also, but he had a game.  
"Well, didn't you say you were taking things slow? Then I suggest Netlix and chill. That way you can just take him to your room and have your wicked way with him."  
Zayn was laughing loudly at his own joke, but Liam just rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't do that to him. Besides my family will be home. I couldn't, even if I wanted to."  
"Well, I still say you take him to your place. You can both still mess around that way."  
Zayn continued laughing and Liam joined in this time. "Geez mate. You have a one-track mind."  
"Yup! Can't say I haven't heard that before." Zayn thought back to how often Harry has said those same exact words to him. Harry... just the thought of him made his heart pump a bit faster and made his blood feed warmer in his veins.  
"Well, you coming to the game Friday? It's our first official one and I know we're going to be kicking arses, so you gotta come see."  
And just like that, Zayn's guilt returned. "Sorry, but I can't. I've gotta take care of something with my family, but I'll come to the next one."  
Liam expressed his dsappointment. "Aww, that sucks. We'll definitely miss you not being there. Guess that means Harry and Niall should be free to come to the game then."  
Zayn felt a rush of disappointment wash over him at the realization that he would be missing his chance to spend time with Harry, just because of his fear of his family finding out he had a boyfriend. "Yeah, I guess so." He sighed, feeling incredibly guilty, but not knowing how to change his circumstance.  
When they arrived and the 4 of them met up for their new normal routine, Liam hugged Niall straight away, both boys smiled at each other the entire time. Zayn hugged Harry as usual, but this time he buried his face in his sweet smelling curls. He wasn't sure what shampoo he actually used, but it left a fruity scent to his hair that Zayn absolutely adored. He just couldn't resist inhaling the familiar scent and the calm feeling that washed over him.  
"Morning babe," Harry giggled when he felt his boyfriend's affections.  
"Morning." Zayn mumbled back before pulling out of the hug, realizing he hadn't meant to be so open with his affection. He looked around him, hoping no one was staring at them. He didn't know what came over him, but it had been something he had normally done when they were alone, and it had become habit now. He chastised himself, knowing he had to be more careful.  
Harry noticed how quickly Zayn had pulled away. It was obvious it was for the sake of keeping their secret and though he knew it was for the best, it still stung a bit knowing it was due to him being a boy. Harry tried to get past his worry, trying not to let him bother him. Even when he was wrapped up in Zayn's arms, snogging his gorgeous "bad boy" in their bathroom stall - which luckily was empty today- not even in this blissful moment was he going to let it bother him. He tried to be positive, that at least he was kissing him, but it was starting to weigh him down. He felt that Zayn was becoming more quiet and distancing himself and he was worried that it had to do with keeping their secret.  
Harry could sense the tension ebbing from Zayn throughtout the week and he was terrified of losing him. He's not sure when this feeling actually began, but he knew that as much as he fantasized being with him and had loved him for so long, he didn't want to hide out in an unsanitary bathroom stall just to kiss him. He even began to think about the facing his fear of losing him. How would he be able to continue existing through life without his boyfriend?  
Both boys were now experiencing dual dilemmas and neither one was brave enough to speak their minds.  
However, what Harry didn't know is that even though he was secretly dating the school's "bad boy," Zayn was still that "nerd" inside. He was still the same kind-hearted and compassionate boy that had a fondness for super heroes and comics and all things sci-fi. Below the deceiving exterior, was the boy that cared for his boyfriend and Zayn had no idea how much his feelings were growing for the younger boy.  
Zayn had no clue that his feelings had grown strong enough to be able to sense when his boyfriend was feeling distraught. So even though he was distant in public, he always made sure that Harry knew how much he meant to him when they were alone by sharing their tender moments. Zayn made sure to show Harry constant affection, he made sure that when Harry got a serious look on his face, he would try to make him smile. Behind closed doors, he was the perfect boyfriend that Harry deserved.  
It was small moments where Zayn would hold his hand or teasingly kiss along his neck while Harry sat in between his legs. It was the heart-warming moments when Zayn would kiss his lips tenderly and lovingly caress his cheeks. And it was the tantalizing times when they snuck away and kissed passionately and sensually explored each other's bodies that were Harry's favorite moments. He knew nothing in his lifetime could ever surpass how amazing it felt to be in Zayn's arms and he knew those memories would help him survive the days after Zayn left him.  
When Friday finally rolled around, Zayn felt extremely anxious. He couldn't wait to get this day over with. He and Lottie texted last night on the details of their evening, so he was prepared on how to have this evening roll by smoothly... hopefully. The only part that concerned him was that he was to pick her up after the school's game because she had to watch her brother, Louis, play. Harry was going to join Niall watch Liam play and his biggest fear was having to drive back to the school to pick Lottie up since he worried that he would be spotted.  
The day dragged, but the silver lining was that he got to spend time with Harry before his "date." And when Harry dropped him off at his house, he had gotten one quick goodbye kiss, before Harry wished him luck for his family function. Zayn scoffed at his comment, but thanked him anyway as he entered his house and Harry drove himself and Niall back to watch the football (In US: soccer) game.  
Lottie texted him when the game was over and Zayn returned to the school in his mum's car and parked just outside the gate, waiting for the platinum blond-haired girl. He was hoping he could be quick about picking her up, but of course, his eyes spotted his boyfriend before locating Lottie. His heart broke at the sight of his normally smiley boyfriend looking unhappy while staring at his phone. Zayn grasped his own phone, wanting to text his boyfriend and see a smile spread on his face, but as he began typing, he heard a knock on his car's window.  
His eyes were glued to Harry, so he knew that meant that it was Lottie. He leaned over and opened the door for her. He knew he should have been a gentleman and walk around to open the door for her, but he wasn't going to risk being spotted by Harry.   
She climbed in the car and greeted him with a smile. "Hi, Zayn."  
He smiled back, returning the greeting. "Hey Lottie."  
Zayn took one last glance at the green-eyed boy, who looked up at that very moment when he was reversing out of the school. His heart stopped, worried he had been spotted, but Harry didn't show any signs that he had recognized him, so he released his breath that he was holding, feeling so frustrated at the way the evening was going already. He was already battling with guilt over not being able to spend the evening with Harry, but now he had to see him... especially looking so distraught. At least if he could see him smiling, he wouldn't feel so awful about deceiving him.  
"We won the game!" Lottie clapped loudly beside him and practically jumped in her seat. Thankfully, she had her seat belt on, so she didn't fly out of her seat.  
"Oh really? That's great." Zayn tried to force some enthusiasm in his voice, but he wasn't at all successful. Now that he had seen Harry, all he wanted was to have this evening over with and see him again.  
"Yeah!" Lottie then proceeded to tell him all about the plays, especially all the goal scoring ones that her brother, Louis, had made.   
Zayn decided then that he would work his way into the conversation to ask about Harry. He needed to know if his boyfriend at least had enjoyed himself. "So did Liam score any goals?"  
"Oh yeah, he did a few." She shrugged her shoulders, not really giving many details.  
"Ok, did you see Niall or Harry there with him?"  
"Yeah, I think they were. I'm not too sure."  
"So you didn't see them?"   
"No, but I wasn't really looking out for them."  
Lottie had grown quiet, but Zayn had been so lost in thoughts of Harry that he hadn't even realized that she was staring out of the car window and no longer talking.  
Once they arrived at his house, Zayn opened the car door for Lottie and she thanked him and they made their way into his home. When he opened the door, they were immediately swarmed by his mother and sisters welcoming Lottie and complimenting her on how pretty she looked.  
After some small talk, they were soon seated at the dining room table eating the plates of food. Well everyone was eating, except Lottie who eyed the food wearily as she stabbed it with her fork and smelled it, before taking small hesitant bites. His mind took him back to his first date with Harry, how he had been sitting exactly where she was, eating eagerly and moaning at the new flavors he said he had enjoyed. He remembers the dimpled smiles he shyly flashed his way, whereas Lottie just seemed to pout and look so unhappy. She wasn't eating much of her meal and was looking around the room rather uncomfortably. He chuckled quietly at himself, realizing that about a month ago, he only wanted a chance to go out with the girl, but now that she was here just as he had previously wanted, now he only wanted Harry.  
He stood up quickly from the table, not offering any kind of explanation, and headed towards the bathroom. He pulled out his cell phone and texted away.  
To Harry: Hey babe  
Luckily, Harry replied almost immediately.  
To Zayn: Hey babe how r u? How's the dinner?  
To Harry: It's ok. Miss u  
To Zayn: Aww. I miss you too :)  
Zayn could already picture his boyfriend's dimples sinking in deeply into his cheeks as a blush tinted those cheeks, just like had often happened whenever he said something nice to him.  
To Harry: Did u have fun tonight? Where are u  
To Zayn: Yeah. Here at a diner with Niall & Liam. He made me come with them.   
Zayn didn't know where the sudden jealousy came from, but his thoughts were envisioning Harry surrounded by a swarm of girls, but worse of all, that Maggie would have her arms on his man.  
To Harry: Are you staying there a while?  
To Zayn: Nah. I'm gonna try to split soon.  
Zayn had made up his mind then. He was done with wondering what Harry was doing or who he was with. He belonged with him and even though he knew he was wrong for bringing Lottie tonight, he had to see his boyfriend.  
To Harry: Text me when you get home ok  
To Zayn: Ok  
When Zayn made his way back to the table, he was on a mission. He asked Lottie, "Hey are you done eating?"  
Her plate was almost untouched, but she nodded and he was grateful. "Yeah."  
There wasn't much discusson afterwards. He tried to rush through the pleasantries of their goodbyes and his family hugging Lottie and telling her how nice it was to meet her. Once that was all done, he opened the car door for her again and got in the driver's seat.  
"So, is it ok to take you to your home or do you need to go anywhere else?" Zayn asked, anxious to drop her off so he could go see Harry.  
"Umm..." Lottie's tone was filled with disappointment. She thought she was going to spend more time with Zayn, but was surprised that he wanted to end their date already. "I guess home is ok."  
Zayn was completely oblivious on the drive to the address she'd given him and when again he opened her car door and walked her to her front door, he was even more clueless that she was staring at him awaiting a kiss goodnight.  
"I really had fun tonight." Lottie said, batting her eyelashes at Zayn.  
"Yeah, me too. Thanks for coming over tonight."  
She smiled brightly and then said, "We should do it again sometime."  
Just then, Zayn's text alert beeped and he smiled widely, knowing it was Harry. "Ok, well I'll let you know ok." He placed a quick peck to her cheek and he was racing back to his car.  
~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~  
Harry was laying in his bed when he sent Zayn the text. He was staring at the TV screen, thinking about his gorgeous dark-haired boyfriend and his body became excited. He got up from his bed, locking his bedroom door, before returning to his bed and stripping off his clothes and laying there naked.  
He pulled up Zayn's picture on his phone and he smiled lovingly at the pic remembering the day Niall had snapped it when Zayn had been sleeping on his lap, and forwarded it to him. He grabbed onto his cock, its length already expanding as his body continued to get aroused.  
His left hand rubbed over his two main nipples, bypassing his other two nipples, and then moved down to rub on his inner thigh, while his right hand stroked his length. He closed his eyes, biting and licking his lower lip as the pleasure coursed through his body. "Mmm, Zayn..." he moaned, before snapping up, completely terrified from the sound of someone tapping at his window.  
When he looked over at the culprit, a dual smile and embarrassed blush decorated his face. "Zayn!"  
Zayn nodded, pointing to the window and signaling him to open it. Harry obliged and sprinted to the closed window, unlocking it and pushing it upwards. "Thanks, babe." Zayn replied, climbing in through the window. He was grateful that Harry's room was on the first floor while his mum's was upstairs. Once inside, he took a look at his naked boyfriend, grinning at the enjoyment of his view.  
"What are you doing here?" Harry asked, his shock evident in his voice.  
"I came to see you." Zayn walked towards him, his predatory walk forcing Harry to walk backwards. "Looks like I came just in time before you did."  
It took Harry about 3 seconds to catch onto the dirty pun. "Oh...umm... I didn't know you were going to stop by."  
"Mmm, apparently." Zayn continued to stalk towards him until Harry's legs hit the edge of his bed. Harry chuckled nervously, not expecting this seductive teasing side to Zayn. "Curly I have a problem."  
"Oh? What is it?"  
"You've done something to me. I don't know what kind of spell you've put me under, but you've been on my mind all night."  
Harry's breath hitched in his throat. Zayn must have read his mind because he had been on Harry's mind all night too. "Umm... sorry?"  
"Don't be sorry." Zayn placed one hand on Harry's hip, while his other threaded in his curls. "I just thought you should know."  
Zayn eyed his lips and Harry thought he was going to faint at how intense the moment was. "You've been on my mind all night to. I missed you so much."  
"Really?" Harry nodded. "Mmm, I like hearing that."  
Then they were kissing. Zayn pressed into his body until Harry was laying on the bed and Zayn crawled on top of him. He began removing his shirt and jeans all while trying to keep his lips on Harry's.  
Once he was completely naked, Zayn stroked his hand alongside his body. "Harry, only I can touch you like this, ok."  
"Huh?" Harry panted, his breathing ragged as a result of their passionate kissing.  
"Only I can touch you like this."  
Harry buried his face into his shoulder. "What? Like you're my daddy?"  
Zayn grinned widely. "Yeah. You can't touch yourself anymore. That's my job."  
Harry stared up at his boyfriend now. "So, you have a daddy fetish?"  
"Hmm, don't know." Zayn shrugged his shoulders. "I might. Especially when it comes to you."  
Zayn sucked on a tender spot in Harry's neck and he moaned loudly, but then covered his mouth. "Shoot! Mum's home. We have to be quiet."  
Zayn licked the tender spot where he just sucked. "Well, let's see how quiet you can be because I plan on punishing you for having me distracted all night. I left dinner early just to be here."  
"Aww, Zayn. That's the sweetest thing I've ever heard."  
The older boy grabbed onto Harry's cock, keeping his eyes trained on all the pleasured faces Harry kept making. "I really like you baby. I don't know if you realize that."  
"I really like you too..." Harry moaned again, biting onto his lower lip to quiet the sound. "... more than you know."  
Zayn smiled and placed his mouth on his boyfriend's erection. He hollowed his cheeks, alternating licking and sucking his length. He licked the slit, the salty sweet taste of Harry coating his tongue. Harry had one hand in Zayn's soft dark strands while his other hand grasped his bedsheets beside him. His toes were curling and his breathing grew heavier, then he felt it. The tightening coil in his belly, the electric spark coursing through his veins. "Zayn... I'm... I'm coming..."  
Zayn heard him, but didn't move. He wanted to please his boyfriend. He needed to make him realize how much he actually really cared about him, so he kept his mouth over his length until Harry spilled. The warm liquid shot in his mouth and some dribbled down his chin, but he remained latched onto him. He sucked him through his orgasm, forcing the huge amount of come down his throat.  
"Oh god!" Harry panted through his orgasm, smiling widely the entire time. "That was so good," he gasped out in between breaths.  
"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself." Zayn licked Harry's still sensitive dick one last time, causing the younger boy to giggle at the sensation before moving up to lay beside him.   
Harry curled into Zayn's body, smiling into his neck before placing several kisses there. "I'm so glad you stopped by."  
"You know it doesn't have to end."  
"What? Are you spending the night?"  
Zayn nodded, placing a kiss to his forehead. "Yup, if you want me to."  
"Of course I do."   
Harry was all smiles as he straddled over Zayn's hips, kissing down his abdomen before taking Zayn's cock into his mouth, returning the blow job. He sucked and licked and again took him down his throat as much as he could take. Zayn grasped onto his head, pumping his erection into his mouth, losing control as he chased his orgasm. Harry felt tears trickle the side of his eyes from the roughness of Zayn's thrusts, but he grasped onto his boyfriend's hips. He tried to hold them down somewhat as he accomodated his man. When Zayn finally came, he groaned out, "Harry! You're mine."  
Harry grinned while his mouth and tongue continued to lap on his length. He swallowed all that Zayn had spilled before returning to his spot beside his boyfriend. Harry lay there for a moment, thinking over Zayn's words and how he wished that he meant them. He wished he hadn't had said them just because he'd been caught up in the moment.  
Zayn faced him as he regulated his breathing, flashing his gorgeous hazel eyes at him, while asking, "You know I meant that right?"  
"Hmm?" Harry questioned.  
"You're mine. Hope that doesn't weird you out."  
And just as expected, Harry's cheeks were coated with a blush. "It's not weird at all. I'm your boyfriend."  
"Yeah, so we're exclusive from now on, ok."  
Harry nodded. "Of course. I don't want anyone else."  
"Me neither." Zayn replied, realizing this fact after tonight's events.  
They lay there for a while, snogging and cuddling while watching the telly before they returned Zayn's mum car to her home and Harry drove Zayn back to his home, where they slept in each other's arms.  
~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~  
"Did you have fun tonight, Niall?" Liam asked. They were both seated in his car, driving towards Niall's home after leaving the diner.  
"Yeah, it was fun watching you play and kick arse." Niall giggled.  
"Well, I had my good luck charm cheering for me."  
"Hey, is that an Irish joke?"  
Liam shook his head, chuckling adorably. "Not at all, but I can see why you thought that... Lucky Charms."  
They were both laughing and continued to talk on the drive back. Once Liam parked on the curb by his home, he said, "I wish this night didn't have to end."  
"Yeah, me neither," Niall replied, his cheeks coated a bit pink from his blush.  
"Well, it doesn't have to." Liam eyed his , hoping he caught onto what he meant. When Niall remained quiet, he asked, "Wanna spend the night at my place?"  
"Yeah." Niall nodded. "I just gotta tell me mam."  
"Great, I'll come in with you." Liam responded eagerly, hopping out of the car and opening Niall's door and they walked into Niall's home.  
Liam introduced himself to Niall's mom, Maura. His father Bobby didn't live with them since his parents divorced when he was younger. It didn't take much to convince his mom to allow Niall to sleep over, so he continued to talk to his mother while Niall packed his overnight bag.  
When they finally made their way back to Liam's car, Liam sat beside Niall and placed a small kiss to the blond boy's lips. "I'm so glad you get to spend the night with me again."  
"Yeah, me too." Niall grinned, his heart fluttering as Liam thread their fingers together while he drove them towards his home one-handed.  
~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~  
However, while both couples were enjoying their evenings, they had no idea of what was happening back in Bradford. They had no idea that there was a party going on in a school mate's house and two people were about to meet.  
"Hey man, you gotta meet my mates. They go to our school too." Tom led Freddie towards a group of boys, who held red plastic cups filled with beer. "Hey lads. This here's Freddie. He just started at our school a few weeks ago."  
Introductions were made and while everyone said their names and raised their cups in their casual meeting, the last lad he spoke to said, "Hey, name's Anthony."  
Oh no! This meant that Freddie (Harry's long-time bully) had now friended Anthony (Zayn's ex-friend and the cause of his bullying). This could only mean trouble.  
(A/N: I swear I didn't know Louis would name his baby Freddie. I had picked this name at the start of this book because Freddy Krueger was my childhood boogie man. OK, next chapter is the plot of my story. I'm excited!)


	31. The Dance Part 1 of 2

So, tonight was finally the night... the school dance had arrived. It was nothing like prom, just a small dance given for the students to celebrate the start of the school's football season.  
It had been exactly 2 weeks since Zayn had come to see Harry after his family's dinner and they had been now dating each other exclusively, but they were still secretive at school and with Zayn's family. Liam, Niall, and Anne were the only ones who knew they were in a relationship.  
Harry was standing in front of his mirror, finalizing the last touch to his brown curls, smiling the entire time. He was truly happy, definitely the happiest he'd ever felt in his life. The main reason was that his life just felt too perfect. Zayn had changed so much in the past 2 weeks, that their circle of friends had even commented on Zayn's behavior. Harry had noticed the positive change also.   
Zayn had been more attentive than ever. Anytime that Harry spoke, he knew he had Zayn's undivided attention. Sometimes Harry could just mumble something under his breath and Zayn would respond, either by a chuckle or a snicker, but it seemed that he heard everything Harry said. Then he would gaze at him, an unfaltering stare, that would melt Harry's insides. His touches had now become loving strokes and he seemed to always find a way to touch Harry whenever they were together, whether a playful tap or caressing his back when they were in public, to tender touches and gentle kisses when they were in private. Zayn had always been touchy-feely with him even when they were just in the bodyguard/protected relationship, but now it seemed like they had a deeper connection.  
Anne had even commented privately to Harry one evening when she had arrived home from work. Harry had a fond look over his face as he spoke with his mum and he mentioned how sweet Zayn was. "Sweety, that boy is in love with you."  
Harry had shaken his head. "I don't think so mum. He's just really nice to me."  
"Honey, that boy stares at you like you hung the moon. Mark my words, he's in love."  
Harry had stood up from the couch then, walking towards his mum. He was blushing horribly, when he asked with a voice filled with expectation, "Do you think so?"  
"I know so." She had cupped his cheek as she spoke the words and Harry grinned widely.  
"Mum, I don't wanna get my hopes up. It's too early. I don't think he does and besides, he hasn't said anything."  
"Hey, just because he's scared to say it, doesn't mean that he doesn't feel it. I know that look."  
Harry was chuckling then, shaking his head side-to-side, not believing his mum's words. "No, I don't believe that."  
Anne grew a bit serious as she asked, "What? You don't believe you're worthy enough to be loved by him? You're an amazing catch, love."  
"No, I didn't mean like that. It's just he's still hiding me, like he's ashamed." He tried to maintain the smile on his face, but it faltered a bit at speaking the words of the situation he tried his best to ignore.  
"Aww Harry, don't think of it that way. You know he had a rough time before. I'm sure he'll come around..."  
Anne steered away from the conversation then as Zayn exited the restroom, walking towards them.  
"Hey Anne," he greeted once he noticed Harry's mum was home.  
"Hi Zayn. Are you staying for dinner tonight?"  
Zayn shook his head, his eyes staring at Harry. "Not tonight. Mum said she's making samosas and they're my fave so I've gotta be heading home soon."  
Harry frowned and stared at his boyfriend. "Really?"  
"Yeah babe." Zayn stretched his arms and Harry walked into them and the boys were hugging each other around each other's waists. Anne stared at the sweet interaction between the two boys, smiling at the sight. "It's ok though. You're driving me back, so..." Zayn whispered the remaining sentence into Harry's ear, causing the younger boy to giggle and blush.  
"Hey, what are you two going on about over there?" Anne asked, causing both boys to laugh now.  
Harry bashfully replied, "Nothing." He smirked at his boyfriend as he thought over what Zayn's words implied when he said 'we can have some alone time to do whatever.' Harry knew that his 'whatever' might cause him to be late and his dinner to get cold.  
Unfortunately, they just ended up snogging a bit which involved some heavy petting, but nothing more since Zayn had to get home.

Then Harry thought of that day that Maggie had cornered him and she hinted at the dance. It had happened after class ended that day.  
"Hey Harry," she began. "Do you have a minute?"  
"Sure, what's up?"  
"So, how's everything?"  
"It's all good." Harry smiled, eyeing the door, hoping this would be a quick conversation because she was taking time away from being with Zayn. "How about you?"  
"I'm good... so are you going to the dance?" She asked, her gaze hopeful as she stared at him.  
"Umm, not sure yet." Harry had thought about going to the dance and he wanted to go with Zayn, but he'd been so hesitant bringing up the subject since he had a feeling it wouldn't be Zayn's scene since he was so anti-social.  
"Well, I'm planning on going. I don't have a date yet, so let me know if you're going ok."  
Harry nodded, but he didn't catch onto the fact that she was hinting that she wanted him to go with her. He was dense when it came to Maggie and he was even more distracted when he noticed his Zayn standing there, his arms crossed over his chest as he fixed a hard stare at them. "Ok, well I'll let you know... gotta go." He waved quickly as he strolled over to Zayn.  
Harry's eyes were filled with only his boyfriend and when Zayn grabbed him by his hip and pulled him into his body, Harry chuckled softly at how possessive he was. "What was that about?" Zayn asked as Maggie walked by, not even glancing in their direction, the obvious irritation she felt scrawled all over her face.  
Harry should've known better than to tell Zayn the truth, but he could never think clearly when Zayn looked at him the way he was currently looking at him, like he was the most precious thing in the world. The older boy always made him a hormonal, implusive mess whenever he was around. "She just asked me about the dance."  
"And what about the dance?" Zayn stroked his fingertips through Harry's curls, causing the younger boy to exhale a deep breath before he spoke again.  
"Guess she needs a date, but I don't know who to hook her up with."  
"Well, just as long as she wasn't asking you." Zayn smirked at him.  
Harry shook his head, stifling his laughter with the palm of his hand. "Don't think so. I mean I think she has to know that she's not my type."  
"Yeah because I'm your type, right?"  
Harry nodded and Zayn placed his hand on his lower back as they walked towards their next classes.  
"Do you want to go?" Zayn asked, but frowned when Harry nodded his head.  
"Yeah, I think it would be fun. I know Niall wanted to go too, so I can't leave him alone."  
"But dances aren't really my scene."  
"Yeah, I figured, but I was kinda hoping you would make the exception for me." Harry answered, his voice filled with hope that Zayn would be his date.  
"You know I would for you, but even if I did force myself to go, we wouldn't be able to dance or anything, so why bother. I mean would you still go if I didn't?"  
Harry shrugged his shoulders, turning his face away so Zayn wouldn't see the hurt flash across his features. Harry chewed on his lower lip, willing himself not to cry, yet feeling his heart splinter at the realization that Zayn still didn't want anyone to know about their relationship. He tried to remember what his mother told him about Zayn eventually coming around and going public with him, but his heart became heavy thinking he would never come out and Harry would always be his little secret. He forced a smile, even though he felt anything but happy. "I might still go."  
Zayn visibly clenched his jaw before asking, "So you'd go without me?"  
"Yeah. Hope that doesn't bother you?" Harry was hoping that his boyfriend's possessive nature would pull through. He hoped that he would get jealous enough that he would be convinced to go with him, but he frowned when he replied.  
"That's fine," Zayn replied, but his face spoke otherwise.  
But Harry had no idea that Zayn had to be thinking about the dance until last weekend. They had gone to the game last Friday night and Zayn had spent the night over at Harry's, but this time his mother was aware and even though she let them share the bed, she still required the door to stay open and unlocked. Anne was an understanding mum, but she still wanted to protect her son's virtue.  
The following morning, Harry woke up to Zayn spooning him from behind and kissing alongside his neck. His lips were on his neck, his arms around his waist, and his morning erection rubbing against his backside. Harry smiled and sighed deeply, loving the way he was being woken up. "Morning babe."  
"Mmm, morning," he breathed into his ear, his warm breath causing shivers down Harry's spine.   
Zayn pulled him tighter to his body and rubbed himself harder against him. "Babe, we can't," Harry feebly protested.  
Zayn continued his teasing and though Harry wanted to protest, he was pressing himself against him and leaning his head forward so the older boy had better access to his neck. He moaned before he half-heartedly protested, "Mum's gonna catch us."  
"'S okay, I'll be quick."  
Harry wanted so much to give into temptation, his eyes involuntarily closing as Zayn's hands moved around his midsection, the press of his erection arousing him immensely. "She won't you let you sleep over anymore if we get caught."  
"Then lock the door."  
Harry forced himself to move, but he saw his cell phone's alert light up and he picked it up, checking what it was alerting him about. He grinned when his saw his mum's text notifying him that she was spending the day with Robin again and she left him money for food in case she didn't make it back until late. "Looks like we have the house to ourselves. Mum's with Robin."  
"Great!" Zayn grabbed onto his waist again, pulling him close, resuming him to his earlier position with Harry's backside pressed to his front. "I want you babe."   
"Mmm, I want you too."  
That's all the confirmation Zayn needed. He pulled down his boxers, still holding Harry from behind, and tugged down Harry's boxers as well. He continued to press himself into Harry and grabbed onto his boyfriend's length, stroking him in time to his thrusts. "You're gonna have to tell me to stop. I don't think I can control myself much longer."  
"Then don't stop," Harry groaned as the waves of pleasure flowed through his body by the combination of hand and stiff arousal working him.  
"You have lube?"  
"No."  
"Damn, that really sucks. I'm so turned on right now."  
"Then don't stop."  
"Curly, it's going to hurt."  
"It's ok. I trust you."  
Zayn groaned and stuck his index finger into Harry's mouth. "Suck." Harry did as instructed until he coated Zayn's finger with a good amount of saliva. He knew they were entering a dangerous territory, but he couldn't stop. He had envisioned this for so long and he was too eager to please his boyfriend as much as he was curious to know how it would feel like with him inside him. Add in that Zayn was naked and hard, rubbing sensually against him, and Harry could no longer fight it.  
"Tell me if it hurts."   
Harry half-nodded, mentally bracing himself for the impact of how it would feel like when Zayn entered him. He was clenching his jaw nervously when he felt Zayn's finger circle the rim of his rear end before pushing the digit in. "Ow!" He hissed out in the pain from the pressure of his finger entering him. Zayn didn't even push it fully in, only as far as past the first bend of the finger, but Harry was clenched so tight that his muscles protested at how tightly he was wound up.  
"Babe, you gotta relax for me." Zayn pulled out his finger and pressed the tip of his length to his entrance now. He wondered if it was his actual finger that was uncomfortable to his boyfriend or if he wasn't comfortable at all with anything entering him. He got his answer when Harry trembled again at the pressure of his length against his hole and he hissed again, even though he tried to quiet the sound.  
"Sorry," Harry squeaked out and Zayn couldn't go on. He felt a terrible guilt wash over him and it was making him sick to his core. He was causing Harry pain because of his selfishness and he forced control over himself. Zayn held onto Harry's waist with his left hand and began stroking himself with his right.  
Harry began to worry over the fact that either Zayn would continue or he would just leave him because he was acting so childish. He couldn't decide which one was scarier, but he clamped his eyes shut and continued to clench his body, preparing for the worse, when he felt the bed shake and he heard the sound of slapping skin. He felt disappointed realizing that Zayn was wanking because he knew he'd let him down. He wasn't able to make him happy and now the older boy was finishing himself off.  
When he felt his backside get splashed with Zayn's release, he fought back the tears threatening to slip out of his eyes. He just knew Zayn was going to leave him and he felt so hurt. He couldn't help that his fear made him scared of having sex with his boyfriend.  
Harry finally became courageous enough to face Zayn, who was laying back on the pillows, his arm thrown over his eyes, and panting for air. "Are you going to leave me now?" His voice was so small when he asked the question, that Zayn shot up in bed when it tugged at his heart strings.  
"What? Why would I leave?"  
"Because I've been so scared to do it. I'm so sorry."  
Zayn chuckled in response, trying to cover the sound with his hand. His boyfriend really was just too adorable sometimes. Harry was on his back suddenly and Zayn hovered over him. "You, Curly, are just too adorable for words sometimes. I'm not leaving you. In fact, I'm taking you to the dance."  
Harry's eyes shot wide open; he focused those beautiful green orbs at him, and blushed. "Really?"  
"Yeah, I've been thinking about it and I want you to be my date. I mean I won't dance or anything..."  
Harry embraced him, wrapping his arms tightly around the older boy, completely happy from the news. "That's fine! I'm just so happy to go with you. Thank you! Thank you!"  
Zayn smiled at Harry's affections, a light-hearted feeling overcoming him. "Of course, love. I just want to make you happy." Ok, so maybe his decision was fueled with from his jealousy of a girl, especially Maggie, or even another guy hanging all over his boyfriend, begging him for a dance and then one thing would lead to another... he didn't want to even think about the possibility of Harry leaving him.  
"You do make me happy... so happy that you have no idea..."  
"Then let me make you happier."   
Before Harry could ask what he meant by that, Zayn had wrapped his lips around his length, licking and sucking him until he was milked dry. Harry responded beautifully as he tugged on Zayn's hair and made the sexiest sounds that turned Zayn on more than any porn he'd ever laid his eyes on.

Harry was brought back to the present when his mother tapped on the bathroom door, notifying him that his date had arrived. "Honey, Zayn is here."  
Harry stepped out of the bathroom, flashing a smile at his mum before replying, "Thanks, mum."  
"Anytime, honey." Anne gave him a quick peck to his cheek. "Baby be careful tonight and have fun. You look amazing tonight and I'm not going to embarrass you in front of your friends, so I'll tell you that I love you and you're the best thing that's ever happened to me."  
Harry's eyes welled up with tears and he sniffled, not wanting them to spill and have his face tear-stained. "Mum, I'm just going to a dance, not war."  
"I know, I just love you so much and you're growing up so quickly."  
"Ok, stop now, you're going to make me cry."  
"OK, ok, I'll stop." They hugged each other and then walked out into the livingroom.  
Harry's breath hitched when he saw Zayn, who was clad all in black. From his black button-up shirt with black jacket, black dress pants and black dress shoes. He looked so hot and Harry felt himself begin to drool. "Damn, babe, you look amazing!" Zayn spoke, walking towards Harry, embracing him in a hug and nestling his head by Harry's neck.  
Harry giggled at Zayn's lack of modesty in front of his mum, Niall and Liam. "No, you're the one who looks gorgeous." Harry thought that his white dress shirt, black jacket, black dress pants and black boots didn't even come close to how attractive Zayn was.  
"Mmm. I just wanna skip this dance now and take you..."  
Anne cleared her throat and asked, "Take him where?"  
Zayn laughed, realizing that they weren't alone in the room and his naughty thoughts were now exposed. "I mean, we go to the dance and I bring you home at a decent hour."  
"Hmm, that's better." Anne immediately snapped pictures of the boys, Harry with Zayn and Liam beside Niall. Liam and Niall were clad in the same outfit as Harry, white dress shirt and black pants, jacket and shoes only they both wore ties, whereas Harry and Zayn were tie-less.  
Harry wanted to enjoy this night, but his heart felt heavy from seeing Niall so quiet and withdrawn. He was clinging to his side and avoiding Liam, all because Liam had promised a friend of his that he would take her to the dance long before he and Niall had begun liking each other. Niall finally broke down last week and confessed that he and Liam had been sort of dating and his best friend told him how much it hurt to see Liam with a girl, much less a popular girl like Sophia, while he was a shy nobody who barely had any friends. How could he ever compete?  
Harry told Niall to tell Liam what he was feeling, but Niall declined saying that he wasn't going to ruin his plans. Instead he surprised everyone by asking Maggie out to the dance. Liam had seemed pretty upset about the whole Maggie situation as he had also grown quiet and withdrew from Niall as well. Now he had the "wonderful" (he used the term sarcastically) opportunity of witnessing both of his friend's misery as they avoided each other. Niall felt uncomfortable about riding in Liam's limo, that he rented for the evening, for obvious reasons, but Zayn and Harry were able to convince him to join them.  
Anne snapped a few more pictures of the four boys and then they all loaded into the all black stretch limo with the dark tinted windows. Zayn immediately pulled Harry, sitting him on his lap, and began nibbling on his lips and along his neck. Harry was giggling adorably, but both Niall and Liam groaned.  
"Damn! You two are like bunnies. You're really going to have sex in my limo?" Liam grumbled, rolling his eyes at the sight of the two.  
Harry was the decent one and pulled away from Zayn's lips. "Sorry."  
Zayn held onto Harry's hips, hugging him close and refusing to let him move. "Don't be jealous Liam. My boyfriend looks hot tonight and it's going to be so difficult to keep my hands off him."  
Harry giggled again, softly smacking his hand, "Babe, behave."  
"No," Zayn growled as he softly bit his neck. "Let's skip this thing and go somewhere alone."  
Harry's blood raced to all the right parts of his body, indicating his increased arousal. His cheeks had turned a crimson color, his body temperature rising and his dress pants had become tight near his groin area. "Damn, that's tempting."  
"OK, drop us off here, Li, we're taking off."  
Harry giggled again. "No babe. You promised to be my date tonight."  
Zayn huffed in frustration. "Fine, but..." Zayn whispered the rest into his ear, "...I'm having my way with you and I might end up ripping out some of these buttons."   
"Ok, but later." Harry tried to add a stern tone to his voice, but one look from Zayn and he was giggling bashfully.  
Zayn groaned, sucking a mark into his neck and blowing his hot breath on the spot. "Fine, but you're going to owe me later."  
Harry nodded, but felt guilty as he looked up and was met with Niall's sad eyes. Harry just knew that he was thinking about being with Liam and how it should be them being each other's dates, rather than having to pick up the girls that were their dates for tonight. He tried to be sympathetic to Niall's dilemma because he knew how it felt to love someone from afar, since he had experienced it himself, longing for Zayn for so many years. He tried to control himself, but it was difficult to not by swept up in Zayn's caresses and soft lips.  
They had gone to Sophia's house first and Liam walked into her home alone to get her. Harry couldn't help but ask, "Niall, are you ok?"  
NIall nodded, not meeting his eyes. "Yeah."  
Harry continued, "You have to know that they're just friends. I'm sure he'd rather be taking you to the dance."  
Niall stared out the window, not looking at anything specifically. "I don't wanna talk about it."  
"But Nialler, you have to see that he really likes you..."  
"Haz, please, not now. I don't want to end up crying and I don't want them to hear us."  
"Ok, I'll stop." Harry brought his arm around his back, pulling him to lean towards him and gave him a slight hug. "Love you Nialler."  
"Love you too, Haz."  
Zayn sat and stared at the two friends, but didn't say anything. He didn't want to interfere in their lives, but he knew they were both being stubborn. He didn't even know why these girls were coming tonight.  
Sophia was a tall, curvy girl with long brown hair that was curled at the ends and her faced was caked in heavy makeup and her huge lips looked like she recieved collagen injections. The short red dress clung to her tightly and she seemed to have a conceited aura to her, but Zayn ignored her. He wasn't here for anyone but Harry and she definitely didn't interest him in any way.  
Next, they stopped by Maggie's house and Niall went in alone and brought her back and Zayn immediately became tense when he saw her. The moment she stepped foot into the limo, she smiled at Harry and greeted him before anyone else. That itself didn't bother Zayn as much as the way she was looking at Harry, like he was the only person in the limo with her. Zayn knew the hot flame racing up his neck was from jealousy. What right did she have to look at his man like that? Sure, he was hiding their relationship, but she needed to back off and so against his better judgement, he wrapped his arm around Harry's back and pulled him close. He gave his side a little tickle and was pleased when Harry giggled and his cheeks coated with a blush. Harry tried to suppress his reaction, so he tickled the spot again.  
"Zayn." Harry giggled louder now. "Stop."  
"No." He stuck out his tongue at the younger boy and tickled him again.  
"Zayn." Harry plastered on a serious face, but Zayn mocked his facial expression, and Harry giggled again. "Stop it."  
"No, make me."  
"Zayn." Harry pushed his shoulder softly, but Zayn caught his hand before he could pull away and they were caught in a moment. Zayn captured Harry's gaze and the world seemed to stop around them. Harry's breathing became heavier as a spark of sexual tension passed between them and just as Harry was leaning in and Zayn sat still, seeming to wait for the moment they would kiss, Maggie cleared her throat and spoke.  
"So, who are your dates for tonight?" She asked, looking between Zayn and Harry.  
Harry lowered his eyes and Zayn knew that his boyfriend wouldn't be able to lie, so he answered, "Oh we're going solo tonight. We're just too cool to deal with dates."  
Harry stared back at the older boy, his cheeks tinting in a crimson blush as he smirked at him. Maggie just rolled her eyes at Zayn, but Zayn just smiled. He actually had a Cheshire-cat-like smile plastered on his face, because Maggie had no idea that Zayn won in their little battle over Harry. The green-eyed boy was his and would never be hers, so she had no idea that it was 'Game Over' for her.  
When they got to the dance, Liam had walked off with Sophia, while the other 4 made their way to some tables and sat down.   
Somehow, subconsciously Maggie knew there was something going on with Harry and Zayn, but she didn't want to accept that her crush, Harry, was gay. After many failed attempts at trying to get Harry's attention, she finally stood up and asked Niall to dance with her.   
Niall was hesitant at first since he was shy and didn't want to embarrass himself, but one look at Liam and Sophia grinding on each other on the dance floor, had him standing on his feet and following her to the dance floor.  
Harry frowned, watching Liam and Niall shamelessly hurt each other as they danced closely with the girls and he hoped they would stop their childish behavior already and just get back to the way they were. Zayn had told him not to interfere and let them work it out, but all he wanted to do was fix things so they were back together.  
Maggie wasn't behaving any better either. She kept staring at Harry while she danced, but he was too consumed by Zayn. That jerk even had the audacity to whisper things into Harry's ear, things that had Harry laughing loudly and clutching his middle. She hated worse than anything, that the school'd bad boy had trouble keeping his hands to himself. How dare he smooth his hands through his curls and cup his cheek and how dare he put his hands on his back. Worst of all, why wasn't Harry stopping him?  
Sophia had been oblivious to all the love triangles surrounding her, as she kept staring at the other popular kids, like herself, making sure that everyone saw that she was with Liam, the school's second best football player (Louis obviously being the first). She hoped that someone was snapping pictures because this would just boost up her popularity even more.  
Things had continued like this, and Harry had downed so many drinks now, that his bladder began to demand to be relieved.  
"Zayn, I'm going to the loo. I'll be right back," Harry whispered in Zayn's ear.  
"You want me to come with?" Zayn replied, his devious smile making Harry feel weak at the knees.  
The younger boy couldn't help but blush by Zayn's insinuation. Harry knew that if his boyfriend followed him into the restrooms, they'd end up getting frisky with each other and leaving the dance early, so he replied, "Nah, it's ok. There's adults everywhere... I'll be safe."  
"Ok, hurry back. I miss you already." He followed his words with placing a gentle kiss to his cheek.  
Harry nodded in response, feeling absolutely giddy now. He still couldn't believe he had such a sweet and caring boyfriend. Never had he imagined that when he started crushing on the school's "bad boy" that he would be rewarded with this gorgeous kind-hearted boy.  
Zayn watched his boyfriend go, trying to control his protective personality. It was practically screaming at him to follow the curly-haired boy, but he ignored it since he didn't want to come off as possessive over his boyfriend. Harry had never called him that before, but he wanted to make sure that Harry knew Zayn wasn't a controlling type of boyfriend.  
Once Harry entered the boys' bathroom, he scrunched up his nose at the smell of marijuana in the air. He couldn't believe how brazen some boys were to actually risk getting high on school grounds. Luckily, it seemed to be empty in here, so he didn't have to feel self-conscious about someone hearing him go pee. He entered a stall, shutting the door behind him, while he did his business. He hummed along to the song from the dance that could still be heard vibrating through the walls. It was a slow song that had just come on and Harry was grinning as he anxiously awaited to return to his boyfriend.  
Harry had been so lost in his anxious thoughts, that he almost didn't notice there was already a boy standing at the sinks. Harry had begun to wash his hands, but didn't realize that the boy just stood there staring at him.  
"Hi Harry."  
Harry finally made eye contact with the boy and his heart froze. There's no way... his mind had to be playing tricks on him. He wasn't sure what was happening and though his mind told him to act like he didn't recognize the boy, his mouth still asked, "Anthony?"  
The brunette boy chuckled in response. "So Zayn's talked about me, huh?"  
Harry's brain was shouting at him now... lie and run away! But again his mouth replied, "Yeah... umm, what are you doing here?"  
Anthony's smile fell off his face as he stared intensely at Harry now. "I'm just really curious."  
"Umm, about what?" Harry's body temperature started rising with his anxiety level as Anthony stood directly in front of him, his intense stare focused completely on him.  
"Why you and not me? Is it your stupid curls or those stupid green eyes? Why did he pick you and not me?" Anthony replied, his voice full of venom.  
Harry started backing up, feeling so uncomfortable at the route the conversation was taking, but didn't realize there was someone behind him, until he bumped into someone. "Miss me?"   
Harry's heart stopped at the sound of the person's voice. He spun around and asked, "Freddie?" He tried to make a run for it, but Freddie pulled out a switchblade, flicking it open and pointing it at him.   
"You better not run..." He placed the blade against Harry's chest. "...cause I'll kill you, then I'll kill that arsehole of a boyfriend of yours."  
Harry struggled to maintain his calm. Freddie was pointing the blade at his face now and Harry had never felt more scared in his life. "What are you doing?"  
Freddie just laughed one of those evil sinister type laughs and Harry knew he was in trouble. "We're going to have some fun, dear old Harold. We have a lot to catch up on."  
"Hey, we can catch up, but let me just go and I'll be right back..." Harry knew he was grasping at straws here.  
"Oh, and what? Grab your little bodyguard? Got news for you. He's not going to be able to help you this time."  
Harry visually gulped. Why him? Couldn't his luck finally change and people stop hurting him? Freddie had bullied him through most of his years at school, then he got beat up, and now this? When would it finally all end? "You don't wanna do this..." Harry feebly protested, his hands shooting up in surrender.  
"Actually I do. I've been wanting to have my way with you for years now, but you went off and became a hoe for him. That arsehole isn't good for you. I am."  
"Freddie, please..."  
"Mmm, fuck yeah. I like that. I'm gonna keep making you say my name... mmm, just like that."  
Harry realized that he wasn't going to be able to reason with Freddie, not when he was staring at him like a maniac and held a weapon. so he faced Anthony, hoping to reason with him. "Listen, Anthony, I'm sorry. Please just stop this."  
Anthony sneered at him. "You think I give a shit about you? I just want Zayn back. He's mine."  
"Ok, we can talk it out."  
"There's nothing to talk about. I'm going to get Zayn back and I'm sure after Freddie's done with you, he won't want you anymore."  
"Oh no, I know he won't." Freddie laughed again, but Harry felt faint. What were they planning on doing to him that made them say Zayn wouldn't want him anymore. "I hope he's still tight after Zayn's been in there." He spoke the words to Anthony.  
Harry's eyes welled with tears. What did he mean by that? They couldn't possibly mean what he worried they meant? Not rape. Please! Not that.  
Freddie continued on, like Harry wasn't even in the room with them. "Nah, I bet he's still tight. Zayn looks like he ain't packing much."  
"Hey man. Fuck off!" Anthony replied, angrily. "That's my guy you're insulting there."  
"Sorry mate. I'm just so excited. I've been waiting for this for so long."  
Harry was crying hysterically now as Freddie pulled rope and a handkerchief from his pockets and began winding up Harry's hands. Next the handkerchief was stuffed in his mouth and secured with duct tape around his mouth. Oh no, he panicked. He had difficulty breathing and his chest was already starting to tighten. Relax Harry, he told himself. Breathe through your nose. Breathe evenly. Don't burst into an asthma attack. He tried to do so, but his tears and his fear were clogging his throat.  
Once his hands and mouth were secured, Freddie shoved Harry's back to get him to start walking. Harry had no idea where they were leading him, but he hoped someone would notice them. He hoped that it was not a normal occurrence to see someone bound and being led away against their will, and someone would stop them from hurting him, but since luck was never on his side, they were never spotted. Oh why didn't he let Zayn tag along with him to the restrooms. Why did he think he could possibly be safe without him? His life just kept reminding him that he was too weak to be alone.  
They continued walking and he was led to the basement of the school. He wondered how Freddie had gained access to the locked room. He seemed to read his thoughts as he said, "Got this from a senior last year. He blackmailed the janitor or something and he got this key made. I used to come down here a lot when I ditched."  
Freddie then led him to a wood table, it look liked something crudely made in the school's shop class, and he tied Harry to the rickety table. "Ok Anthony. Call up lover boy."  
Anthony nodded and grabbed Harry's phone. "Unlock it." Harry did the best he could, with his hands being tied up the way they were, but was able to enter the code and unlock the phone and Anthony searched through Harry's contacts for Zayn's number. "Aww, how fuckin' cute, Zayn with a damn heart beside it. I'm gonna puke."  
Zayn was waiting impatiently for his boyfriend to arrive back from the loo, when he stood up and his cell began ringing, flashing Harry's name on the screen. Well, the contact name was Curly, but he knew it was him. "Ello." Zayn answered, wondering why Harry was calling him. Maybe he wanted to ask him to meet somewhere or maybe he was going to flirt a bit, but his heart froze when he heard an all-too familiar voice on the line and it definitely wasn't Harry's.  
"Hey mate. Long time no talk."  
"Anthony?"  
"The one and only," he chuckled over the line.  
"You bastard. How the fuck you get Harry's phone?" Zayn panicked and ran out into the hallway, looking around frantically for his boyfriend.   
"Oh, this ugly piece of shit I have here?"  
"Come down to the basement and find out."  
"You arsehole! If you hurt one hair on his head, I will make you regret the day you were born!"  
Anthony sucked his teeth, scowling in Harry's direction. "Nothing's happened to him yet, but I don't know how long it will stay that way. So hurry up, Zaynie. The fun is just getting started." Anthony hung up the call then, smirking dramatically, getting so excited to finally be reunited with Zayn. It had been far too long since he'd last seen him and he was making sure that he became his this time around.  
Zayn ran frantically through the halls, wondering why there were no adults in the halls. The one time, he'd actually be thankful to see an adult, and they were all missing. He wasn't too worried about that right now. His main priority was to get to Harry before he was hurt. How could this happen? Why tonight of all nights? The night that he was going to admit to Harry how he had felt about him. Zayn had realized just recently that he was deeply in love with his boyfriend and even began to entertain the notion that they would get married one day, but now... No! He wasn't going to think like that. He knew they could still have their happy ending. He just had to hurry up and rescue his boyfriend... again!


	32. The Dance Part 2 of 2

Zayn ran frantically through the halls, trying to remember where he'd seen an entrance that would lead him to the school's basement. Luckily, he was able to spot a doorway ajar that looked like it would lead to that exact location, so he was sure this is where Anthony had taken Harry.  
He was more than anxious to just run in there wildly and get his boyfriend back, but he knew it couldn't possibly be that easy. He and Anthony had too much bad blood between them and he knew that he was going to take out his anger with him and Harry. So because he had actually learned from his anger management therapy, he had applied its concept of thinking things through and not acting on emotions. He pulled out his cell phone and texted Liam.  
To Liam: Need help in the school basement!  
He could have tried to text Niall also, but he knew Niall was more of a lover, bit a fighter, and he didn't want to worry about the lad getting hurt also. He inhaled a deep breath and wished that Liam would come through and not let him down.  
When he entered the room, his eyes immediately landed on Harry and his heart broke. His red-rimmed eyes were filled with tears and were sliding down his cheeks and his wrists were bound and tied to a table. The rush of adrenaline combined with the crushing pain in his chest, had him reacting and running towards his boyfriend, but he felt an arm shoot out in front of him and stop him in his tracks. He looked over... Anthony!  
"Not so fast, Zayn," Anthony sneered.  
Zayn looked over at his former best friend. Time definitely had not been friendly to him. His face looked similar, although he could see some apparent changes. The most obvious one was the scar just under his left eye and there was a crook to his nose, that he hoped he caused when he had beaten him up before. "Anthony?" He questioned, already knowing it was him, but he was surprised to see him standing in front of him.  
"Yeah," Anthony replied, with a tight smile as his eyes roamed over his figure. Suddenly, all the unrequited love feelings and all those memories together, came rushing back to Anthony. Zayn had now looked so different that he barely recognized him, but he definitely looked better in his eyes. Where he was thing and pale before, he now had a lovely golden tan and his body was still lean, but now there were muscles visible under his clothing as he moved. "You look good..." he began, but then stopped himself, when he realized Zayn's eyes returned to the green-eyed lad that was tied up to the rickety wooden table.  
"Let him go!" Zayn shouted the request, his fists balled up tight as he resumed walking towards Harry.  
"Not just yet." Freddie side-stepped from behind Harry, grinning evilly, as he brandished a blade at Harry. Zayn could see his frightened boyfriend shiver at the sight of the threatening blade, so Zayn remained still. "I've missed my dear Harold here and it's time we fix that."  
Zayn became furious as Freddie sickenly ran his fingers of the hand that wasn't holding the knife, through Harry's hair, his index finger wrapping around one of his curls, but Harry jerked his head away from his unwanted touch. "Don't touch him, you arsehole!"  
Freddie again laughed sinisterilly. "I plan on doing more than touching him and you get a front row seat."  
"You sick bastard! You're not laying a finger on him." Zayn cupped his fist with his hand as he resumed his pace towards Harry.  
"Uh uh uh." Freddie shook his head, bringing the knife closer to Harry. "Come any closer and I'll cut him."  
Zayn froze in his steps again, trying to calm his anger, because he felt like he was going to explode. He clenched his fists as Anthony slinked up behind him and began tying his hands with the remainder of the rope used on Harry. Zayn's anger continued to rise as he felt helpless. The reality of their dire situation hitting him full blast as the sight of Harry crying and whimpering behind his gag broke his heart. He hated this helpless feeling. He had already known first hand how this affected him and just like before when he was bullied, that nauseating feeling rose up and he began getting flashbacks of that horrible time of his life... the taunts and the shoving...  
Freddie smoothed his hand down Harry's cheek and drifted his hand lower over his chest and Zayn continued to get angrier, the feeling turning to rage, as he struggled against the rope securing his hands together. "I'll kill you if you hurt him!" Zayn seethed through his teeth.  
"Oh, I'm not going to hurt him... at least not too much. I just want to have a little fun with him."  
Zayn could see Harry trembling in fear. He was shaking so bad, that Zayn could feel his fear permeating the air. He felt that helpless feeling consume his being again as Freddie began unbuttoning and unzipping Harry's dress slacks and pulled the fabric down. Zayn looked into Harry's eyes and knew he was petrified about what was going to happen to him now, and that's when clarity hit him. All the fear and disappointment that he worried over with everyone finding out about his relationship with a boy became so trivial. All of that worry suddenly vanished and his heart felt like bursting and instead worried about what would happen to his boyfriend now. "I love you Harry!"  
Harry's breath hitched and his green eyes moistened again upon hearing those words. He just knew his boyfriend would be blushing and smiling bashfully and he tried to speak through his gag, but the words were a muffled sound. Zayn knew though that Harry was saying the words back.  
Freddie, however, was not as happy about the tender moment being shared between the two boys. "Shut up!" he hissed at Zayn.  
Zayn simply ignored him and continued to speak to Harry as he stared into his tearful, yet still amazingly gorgeous green eyes. "No matter what happens I love you and I'll always love you."  
Harry nodded, but Freddie yelled. "No! Harry's going to be mine now!" Freddie jerked his body towards him, grasping him by the hips and Harry screamed, the terrified sound muffled by the gag.

Meanwhile, back at the dance, Liam had finally convinced Sophia to take a break from dancing, but she had them sit by the jocks and popular crowd. Liam stared at Niall, sitting beside Maggie away from their crowd, but he looked uncomfortable as his eyes scanned around the room.  
Now that Liam had a moment to reflect on everything, he realized that he missed Niall terribly and staring at the Irish lad was not helping his situation any. Liam pulled out his cell phone, wanting nothing more than to text the blue-eyed boy and get back on good terms with him. He looked at his phone and Zayn's message flashed across the screen.  
To Liam: Need help in the school basement!  
He read the message and at first, wondered if it was a joke, but then the nervous look on Niall's face concerned him that maybe it wasn't.  
Liam stood up quickly, walking over to Niall and asked in a worried tone, "Hey, have you seen Zayn?"  
Niall shook his head. "No." Then he added, "I haven't seen Harry either."  
Liam's worry just increased as the worst case scenarios played out in his head. "Niall, I need to talk to you in private."  
Niall wanted to resist his request, but the worried look in Liam's brown eyes had him standing up from his seat and following the older boy. He didn't even realize he was being rude by not saying anything to his date, Maggie, and just walking off with Liam.  
Once they were in a secluded corner away from their dates, Liam showed Niall Zayn's text message and Niall's terrified expression matched Liam's. "This isn't good... not at all." Niall chewed on his thumb nail and rocked side-to-side. "What do we do?"  
"Ok, I think before we start panicking, I want you to call Harry and I'll call Zayn. No need to freak out if it's just a joke."  
And just as they both suspected, both calls went to voicemail. "Now what?" Niall asked.  
"Well, you stay here, while I go to the basement and check it out."  
"Why don't I just go with ya?"  
"I think you should stay here in case they come back. I'll text you if I need help, ok."  
Niall nodded hesitantly, worried about letting him go alone, so he hugged him. He hugged him tightly and hoped this wouldn't be the last hug he'd ever share with him. "Be careful, Li."  
Liam blushed, chuckling and kissing the top of his blond head. "I will. I'll be back before you know it."  
They shared a moment, a flash of wanting to kiss each other, but Liam remembered where they were and pulled away quickly. Once Liam took off, it didn't take him long to find the entrance to the basement. He and a couple of other jocks used to venture out to different parts of school whenever they were in the mood to skip and he was familiar with this location in particular.  
He heard muffled voices immediately and peered in through a glass window and became nervous. He could clearly see Harry tied up and another boy pointing a knife at him. However, he didn't see Zayn and had no idea of what predicament he was walking into. He definitely didn't want to just add stress to the situation and cause himself or any of his friends any harm, so he texted Niall to bring help urgently.

However, while Liam did his best to assess the situation and wait for his back up, Freddie was still tormenting Harry and Zayn. He pressed his nose to Harry's neck and slinked his hand on his chest, before bending Harry forward, touching his rear end and making a grand production of his unwanted advances.  
Zayn continued to struggle against his binds, Anthony holding him still. Anthony touched his back soothingly. "Relax Zayn. It'll be over soon and then we can go home together."  
"Fuck off Anthony! I'm going to rip your head off when I get out of this!" Zayn seethed.  
"Zayn, don't be like that. We could be good together. We'll go back to Bradford tonight and catch up..."  
Anthony continued to ramble on, but Zayn ignored him, and continued to shout words of affection to Harry, telling him how much he loved him and he would make these "disgusting fucks" pay for hurting him. He made him promises that he swore he would keep and Harry focused on those words. He tried to focus all of his attention on the promises that Zayn shouted . He just prayed this would be over soon because he just wanted to go home. He didn't want to lose his virginity to a boy he despised; all he wanted was to go home, where it was safe.  
Freddie continued his inappropriate touches and said, "I'm glad my friends didn't break anything vital when they kicked your arse." Harry shot him a confused look and Freddie responded with laughter. "Oh, guess I forgot to tell you that those guys who beat you up were my friends. I told them you made a gay pass at me and they were more than happy to teach you a lesson."  
Realization of how sick Freddie actually was hit Harry and as Freddie unzipped his jeans and began freeing his length, Harry could no longer fight against the impending asthma attack. He could no longer concentrate on his breathing and his lungs closed. He fought to breathe, but the gag covering his mouth impeded his air flow and his tears clogged his throat more... and his world faded to black. The last thing he saw was Zayn's concerned face, shouting at him. "I love you, Zayn." Harry spoke in his mind. "I'll miss you."  
Zayn watched in horror as he saw Harry's lifeless body slump forward and fall onto Freddie. He stood frozen in shock for a moment as Freddie caught Harry, but laid him down on the floor in a not-so-gentle manner before he became enraged and yelled at the curly-haired lad. "What the fuck did you pass out for? This isn't fun if you're not awake to enjoy it!"  
However, Zayn quickly recovered and shouted, "He's not breathing! He'll die! Let me go! I need to help him!" He struggled against his restraints as tears flowed from his eyes, but the rope wouldn't budge and Anthony still held onto him. He could tell that Harry's chest was no longer moving and he feared that his boyfriend just died. But just before he lost all hope, he remembered that tonight was the night he planned to tell Harry how he felt. He planned to reveal that he had fallen in love with him and wanted to know if Harry felt the same way. He wanted Harry to know that he was ready to make a full commitment to him and he just knew that his boyfriend might forget to breathe from the shock of the news. So because he worried that would be his reaction, he had placed Harry's inhaler in his suit's inner pocket. He wanted to be prepared in case the younger boy would need it. He silently thanked Allah for having the inhaler with him now.  
"Let me go!" Zayn pleaded. "I have his medicine!" Freddie stared down at Harry, his panicked expression giving away what he was feeling. "Please, he'll die without it!"  
Freddie took a step back, staring at Harry's motionless body. He became even more nervous and began stuttering. "How do I know it's not a trick?"  
"Stop fuckin' arguing with me! He's going to die and you're going away for a long time for murder if he does!"  
Freddie continued to stare at Harry's body, as if willing him to wake up at any moment, while Anthony spoke up. "Mate, I didn't sign up to kill anyone. I'm not going to jail for this..."  
Liam, who had been patiently waiting for help to arrive, had enough. He had realized that it seemed like Freddie and Anthony were his only threats, and they were obviously both clueless morons, and the leverage they had on Harry was now gone since Harry lay deathly still on the ground. He couldn't wait anymore for Niall to arrive with help, so he charged his way into the room, against his better judgement. He pounced on Freddie first, swinging his right fist into the lad's face. Freddie was caught completely by surprise by the sudden attack since he was unaware of Liam, being distracted by completating his next step with Harry. His back was turned when Liam attacked and he fell the floor, grasping his nose.  
"What the fuck!" Freddie asked after he recovered from being stunned, but continued to lay on the floor, not too far from where Harry lay.  
"I'm sorry, Zayn," Anthony called out before he ran off like the coward he was.  
Liam now held Freddie's blade in his hand and pointed it at him. Freddie brushed back his brown hair and rolled his brown eyes, knowing that his chance to finally get Harry was now ruined.  
"Liam, cut me loose! I need to help Harry!" Liam did as instructed and cut the rope binding Zayn. Zayn wasted no time in rushing over to Harry, picking up his body, and shaking the inhaler and pressing the canister, forcing the medicine down his throat. Zayn had no clue how much medicine he was supposed to squeeze out, but he did three for 3 more sprays. However, his boyfriend did not react and looked so horribly pale. "Please wake up Harry." Zayn's tears steadily streamed down his face. "Please Curly, don't leave me. I love you so much."  
Zayn was grateful that during the time he lived with his grandmother, he had taken a CPR course as part of his anger management therapy because now he had to put those skills to use. He began the chest compressions, having momentarily forgotten what the method was, Was it 5 compressions to 2 breaths or was it 4 compressions to 1 breath? And because he couldn't clear his mind enough to focus on the numbness, he began pressing down on his chest in an undetermined manner. Then he would breathe into his mouth, while pinching his nose closed, hoping that Harry would start breathing soon.  
He continued to do this, until Liam placed a hand on his shoulder, and said, "Zayn, he isn't breathing."  
Zayn looked up momentarily and saw that the principal, Mr. Reynolds, had arrived and had Freddie pinned against a wall; Liam had an arm wrapped around Niall, but the look on Niall's face really triggered him to continue with the CPR. Niall portrayed all his fears as he clung onto Liam's shirt and swiped at some tears rolling down his face and in a trembling voice said, "Zayn."  
Zayn knew that Niall was expressing the same fear he was. He couldn't lose Harry, not when he had become such a huge part of his world, not when he loved him so much. Zayn fought through the soreness in his arms and continued to compress his chest and breathed through his mouth again and to his surprise, Harry began coughing and his eyes became moistened with tears.  
"Baby," Zayn's enthusiatic voice portrayed his extreme happiness that his boyfriend was alive, and he pulled his body towards him, kissing his lips and placing several kisses all over his face. He pulled him closer to him and cradled him against his body as Harry continued to cough and sputter as his lungs continued to gasp for air.  
"Hazza!" Niall dropped to a hunched stance beside the couple, reaching out to grasp his best friend's hand, before collapsing onto the floor in relief.  
"Hey..." Harry smiled at Niall, but then returned his gaze to Zayn and asked, "What happened? I hurt all over."  
"You almost died, Haz," Niall answered his question. Zayn just gazed down at Harry, smiling as Niall continued. "Zayn saved you."  
Harry smiled up at Zayn, asking, "You saved me? Again?"  
Zayn laughed for about 2 seconds, then stopped himself. This was no laughing matter, but he just felt so ecstatic from the immense joy that Harry had come back to him. He nodded and spoke through the huge grin on his face, "I love you. I'm going to tell you that for the rest of my life."  
"I love you too, Zayn... so much." Zayn pecked his lips lightly, not wanting to put any additional stress to Harry's breathing, but Harry wasn't having it. He pulled his hand out of Niall's grip and grasped Zayn's cheek and tugged his face down to meet his lips. Once the kiss began, both boys found it nearly impossible to pull apart.  
It wasn't until Mr Reynolds, their principal, cleared his throat and said, "Welcome back, Harry. You had us all scared there for a while." That's when Harry pulled away from the kiss to look at his principal holding onto Freddie roughly. "I've called for help. They should be here any moment now, ok."  
Harry nodded, but felt sick to his stomach at seeing Freddie still in the room with them. The memory of what he was doing before he passed out, hitting him at full force. Harry grasped onto Zayn's shirt, creasing the black dress shirt from his tight grip, his voice filled with panic, he asked, "Did he hurt me, Zayn?"  
Zayn shook his head. "No, baby. You passed out before he could." He then whispered the last part, "You're still a virgin, love."  
Harry smiled as Zayn answered his silent question and he whispered back, "Good because that's yours." Harry needed to let Zayn know that his virginity belonged to Zayn, had always belonged to him since the moment he first laid eyes on him in middle school.  
Zayn stared at him, not really realizing what Harry meant, so he smiled down at his boyfriend and held him close. He placed several kisses to his dimpled cheeks and forehead, feeling overwhelmed at the amount of love he felt for this boy. "I'm never going to let anyone hurt you again. I'm never leaving your side."  
"Ok," Harry nodded. "I'm not leaving your side ever again. I love you." Harry latched onto his boyfriend, not wanting to let go of the lad. He felt the safest in his arms, so when the ambulance arrived and the workers had to work on Harry, they had the most difficult time since neither boy wanted to let go of the other.  
A female paramedic had to coax Zayn into finally letting go of Harry. "Son, you have to let go of him," she pleaded. "We need to get him to the hospital to check him out."  
Zayn was being stubborn, tears dwelling in his eyes. "No, I'll never let go of him again."  
"Please, son." The paramedic pleaded. "You can ride with him to the hospital, ok. Just let us do our job."  
Zayn finally allowed the paramedics to strap him into the gurney and place an oxygen mask on him, but he held onto Harry's hand the whole time, needing to touch the boy, needing to make sure he was still with him as he meant to keep his promise of never letting him go. Zayn held onto Harry's hand through the entire ride in the ambulance, then held onto him as they led him to his hospital room. Even when they tried to push Zayn away and force him to sit on a chair, Zayn refused to let go and both boys had thrown a fit together about not wanting to be separated, so the doctor and nurses had to work around Zayn. Harry held onto his hand the entire time, telling his boyfriend how much he loved him and how grateful he was for everything he had done for him. Zayn continued to declare his love to Harry also, smiling at the gorgeous boy the entire time and placing kisses on the hand he held.  
When Anne, Harry's mum, received a call from their principal about Harry being taken to the hospital, she was frantic and rushed right over to the same London Bridge Hospital he had been admitted to before. When she entered Harry's hospital room, she was saddened by the deja vu she experienced of just a few months back, when Harry was laying in the hospital bed from his attack. He had fewer bruises this time, but it still tore her up to see him like that. She rushed right over to her son, hugging him and kissing his face repeatedly. Even she was shocked at how the boys refused to unlatch their clasped hands. Zayn sat by Harry's bedside and refused to leave his side. Anne needed to talk to Harry privately and knew she would have to wait until Zayn left the room, before she notified Harry of her decision.  
Luckily, she got the chance when Liam and Niall had arrived to visit with Harry. Both Liam and Niall relayed everything that happened after Harry left and how Freddie was arrested for a long list of charges, including being responsible for the first attack as well as the assault and attempted rape in this attack. They also added breaking and entering and resisting arrest when he fought with the officer trying to take him away. Harry felt relieved when Liam mentioned he would be put away for a long, long time. At least that was one less stress in his life.  
They stayed talking for a little over an hour until Harry began yawning from the exhaustion he felt from the eventful evening as well as the drowsiness from his medications. "Hey boys, you should all get back to your homes before your parents start worrying about you. I'll stay with Harry." Anne stated. Liam and Niall groaned, not wanting to leave Harry behind, but nodded and they said their goodbyes to the green-eyed boy. However, Zayn remained in his seat beside Harry, not moving an inch. "Zayn, you should head home too and get some rest." Anne urged.  
Zayn shook his head. "I'll call my mum in a bit. I don't want to leave him."  
"Zayn, you can see him tomorrow. Go home and get some rest," Anne continued.  
"No, I'm not leaving him," Zayn stated again.  
"Mum, I need Zayn. Don't make him leave." Harry pleaded, groggily. His exhaustion already forcing his eyes closed.  
"Honey, let him rest tonight. He can see you again tomorrow," she replied to her son.  
"Ok... love you Zayn. Miss you already," Harry spoke, wrestling with his closing eyelids.  
"I love you too, Harry. I'll be back in the morning, ok. We'll spend the whole day together, ok." Zayn felt a whole new set of tears flooding his eyes and had to inhale a deep breath to fight again crying again. It was literally breaking his heart to let go of his boyfriend's hand. He kissed Harry gently on the lips, the kiss soft and not as passionate as their other kisses, but portrayed how much Zayn loved his younger boyfriend. "I'll keep my phone on. Call me if you need anything, alright, and I'll head right back."  
"Ok, Zayn. I will." Harry smiled slowly and added, "Dream of me."  
"I always do, Curly." Zayn smiled back, placing one last kiss to his lips before walking out with Liam and Niall once Harry had fallen asleep.  
Anne stared at how Zayn and her son interacted and it saddened her that she would most likely break her son's heart when she told him about her decision to make him break up with Zayn and have Harry home-schooled. She needed to keep her son safe and she hoped that isolating him from the world for a while, would do the trick. She couldn't stand him being constantly hurt and ending up in hospitals; she just hoped Harry would see it her way.  
Zayn entered Liam's car hesitantly, not wanting to leave Harry behind, but he couldn't argue with his mum. "I don't want to leave him guys."  
Niall was the one who spoke up. "I know it's hard, but he needs his rest. You saved him tonight Zayn. Do ya realize you're a hero?" Niall's eyes filled with tears now and his actually spilled down his face as he wasn't strong enough to hold them back. "I'll never be able to thank ya for saving me best friend."  
"It's ok, Niall. I couldn't live without him either," Zayn replied, patting his back, fighting his urge to cry also. He knows that if he stops to think about everything that happened tonight, he might never stop crying. It wasn't until they had all sat in Liam's car (the limo driver had long been gone) that Zayn turned to the two boys. "I hope you two realize how shitty life can be and how we can't take anything for granted. You two should make up already and stop being mad at each other."   
Zayn's serious tone had Liam grasping Niall's hand and replying, "We have made up. Everything's good."  
"Good. Didn't want to have to kick your arses," Zayn replied, his tone slightly humorous, but he didn't smile.  
Liam held onto Niall's hand the entire ride as they both sat up front, while Zayn sat in the back. They dropped off Zayn at his home and he thanked them for the ride. Liam headed for Niall's house next, but said, "Niall, Zayn's right. Life is too short to let anything keep us from being happy, so I wanted to ask if you'd be my boyfriend."  
Niall was shocked, not expecting those words to come out of Liam's mouth. "Umm, yeah... sure."  
Liam chuckled at Niall's response. "You sure? I want you to be sure you wanna be my boyfriend because I kinda love you... no, I'm pretty sure I love you."  
Niall swiped tears out of his eyes again. "Shit, I've been crying too much tonight. Of course I'll be yer boyfriend and I love you too."  
Liam pulled the car over briefly as they sealed their new relationship with a kiss, their tongues joining and tasting each other's mouths. "Stay with me tonight," Liam demanded.  
"Ok, but what will we tell me mam?"  
Liam shrugged his shoulders. "The truth. Harry's in the hospital and we're going to see him in the morning, so I want you to spend tonight with me, so we can go there together."  
"OK."  
By the time they reached Niall's house and talked with his mam, Niall returned to Liam's car and said, "You sure do have a way with me mam. I think she loves you more than me."  
Liam laughed loudly. "Yeah, I'm glad she's so cool and let's you spend the night." Liam held Niall's hand again. "I love you." Liam's heart felt lighter at saying the words, so grateful to finally have the Irish lad as his boyfriend.  
"I love ya too, Li."  
However, while Niall and Liam were in the midst of their reconciliation, Zayn was laying in his bed, staring up at his ceiling. His heart was reeling in pain from being away from Harry and he missed his boyfriend and missed holding him in his arms. He willed sleep to come to him, so he could look somewhat decent when he went to go visit Harry in the morning as soon as visiting hours resumed. He slept with his phone by his head, making sure the ringer was all the way up in case Harry called him.  
He lay there with his silent thoughts and that's when the worst happened. He began crying from reliving all the memories of Harry dying and him working on reviving him. He relived all the crap that Freddie and Anthony put them through and just as he tried to control his emotions, that same rage filled his heart. He dried his eyes as his mind filled with the rage of getting revenge at Anthony. The boy had escaped the police, but he couldn't escape Zayn's wrath. He knew the coward would be hiding out for a while, but he would be patient. Once he made sure Harry was well, he was going to seek his revenge.


	33. Decisions

"Harry, baby, how are you feeling?" Anne asked, standing up from her chair and seating herself on the corner of Harry's hospital bed.  
"A lot better, mum," Harry replied, stifling back his yawn with his hand, then streteched his arms over his head, moving his sore muscles.  
"I'm glad baby." Anne smoothed her hand through his stray curls by his forehead. "I wanted to have a little talk with you."   
"Sure, what about?"  
"Well, it's about everything that's happened."   
Harry repositioned his body on the bed, sitting up a bit to have their talk. "Ok."  
"Well..." Anne began. "You have to know how much this is tearing me apart to see you in the hospital so often now."  
"Yeah, mum, but it should be ok now. Freddie is in jail and he was responsible for the attacks."  
"Yes, but Zayn's friend is still out there, son. They haven't found him and I worry about your safety."  
"Ex-friend," he corrected. "And I'm sure he knows the cops are after him, so he wouldn't come near the school again."  
Anne sighed, knowing she was going to upset Harry now. "Well, since we can't be certain of that, I'm removing you from school and having you home-schooled."  
Harry eyed his mother oddly. "That's not necessary. Nothing will happen to me with Zayn there."  
"Honey, Zayn was with you last night and this happened."  
"It wasn't his fault though. I went to the loo without him." Harry's voice raised an octave as he began to worry over what his mother was going to tell him.  
"But you have to understand, it's not safe for you to be around him. Not when we don't know where that kid is and not when the school failed at keeping you safe."  
"Mum, nothing happened to me with Zayn watching over me. He wouldn't let anyone hurt me."  
"You have to understand that I'm doing this to keep you safe. I'm doing this because you're my priority and your health and safety is my main concern."  
"But, I won't get to see Zayn as often anymore. We would only be able to see each other when he got out of school, then he would only be able to stay a few hours."  
"And that's another thing. I don't think you should be spending any more time with Zayn. I really don't think your relationship is healthy at all and will just lead you to more pain..."  
Harry had been polite and listened to his mother speak, but now she really angered him, so he interrupted her. "So, that's my problem, mum! You're not going to make us break up, so you can just forget about that idea!" Harry turned away from his mother, slamming his head onto his pillows as he reached for his cell phone. He didn't necessarily mean to be rude to his mum, but he was already upset that he woke up without Zayn beside him and his mother was just adding to his stress level by bringing up this nonsense.  
"Honey, you have to understand that it's to keep you safe. What if that boy follows Zayn to our house? What if he breaks in and hurts you while I'm at work?"  
"Then leave me at school with Zayn!" Harry shouted, still not facing his mum.  
Harry sent dual text messages to Zayn and Niall, both reading: "Please come to the hospital. My mum is talking shit."  
"Harry, it's not that simple. You can't date Zayn anymore and that's final! You're lucky I can't move us out of London because I don't have the funds, or you'd never see Niall again either."  
Harry faced his mum then while he spoke his words in anger. "I hate you, mum! You can't stop me from seeing Zayn! If you want to home school me, fine that's your decision, but Zayn and I are in love! You can't keep us apart!"  
"Baby, it's a high school infatuation, you'll get over it. Once you grow up and go to college and find that special someone..."  
Harry interrupted his mum again. "I don't want anyone else, mum. Zayn is all I've wanted for years and now that I have him, I won't let you ruin us. You can't take him away from me."  
"I'm not changing my mind about this love. You are my priority and I'm doing this for your safety."  
"Mum, are you really going to try to keep us apart? You know what happened with Romeo and Juliet. Are you really trying to do that to us?"  
Anne's tone had now changed to a more forceful one. "You are not going to hurt yourself and I doubt Zayn would do anything like that. You know I love you honey, but he won't even let people know that you're dating now. Do you think that's ever going to change?"  
"I don't want to talk to you anymore!" Harry shouted and turned away from his mum, slamming himself down on his pillows again. He felt horrible. Of all the things his mum could have brought up, why did it have to be his biggest insecurity? The one question that had already been repeating in his mind for weeks now. Would Zayn ever want people to know they were together, or would he be a secret the rest of their lives?  
"Fine! But this isn't going to change my mind, Harold. Now I'm sure your friends are coming by to see you today, so you can say your goodbyes then."  
Harry rolled his eyes, knowing he could never say goodbye to Zayn. He had wanted him for too long to let go so easily and now that he had a taste of him, he wasn't going to let him go. He didn't even respond to his mum, choosing to ignore her presence and watch the telly instead until his friends arrived. He was anxious to see Zayn and he was certain Niall wouldn't let him down.

About an hour later, he could hear the sound of his friends chatting away as they approached his room.  
"Zayn!" Harry shouted, sitting up in bed and flashing a wide, dimpled smile his way.  
"Hey, babe," Zayn replied, walking towards his bed in a fast pace. Once Zayn stood close enough, Harry immediately grabbed him and pulled him on top of him as he wrapped him up in a tight hug. "Miss me?" Zayn chuckled at his boyfriend's enthusiasm.  
"Yes I did! You weren't here when I woke up," Harry pouted, hugging his boyfriend tighter.  
"I'm sorry love. You seemed so out of it yesterday. Figured you didn't want me around."  
"Nonsense! I'll always want you around." Harry released him from the hug only to place his hands on either side of his cheeks and pull him in for a kiss. "Don't leave me again."  
Zayn didn't even get a chance to reply as Harry latched onto his lips, kissing him deeply and thrusting his tongue into his mouth. Zayn melted into the kiss, having terribly missed his boyfriend all of last night and felt just as thrilled to kiss him again, but then he remembered that they had an audience. He tried to pull away from the kiss, but Harry moaned into his mouth and held on tighter and continued to kiss him.  
"Babe, we have company you know." Zayn smiled, pulling away from Harry's grip, but Harry just managed to wrap his arms around his neck and bring him in again for another kiss.  
"I don't care. I missed you."  
Zayn chuckled as next his boyfriend pulled him onto the bed, forcing him to lay beside him as he rested his head on Zayn's chest. Zayn manuevered his body around Harry's IV as he scooted to allow the younger boy enough space to nestle in. "I missed you too. So, how are you feeling, love?"   
"A lot better, but a little restless because I got a breathing treatment this morning and I'm all jittery now."  
"I'm glad my baby's feeling better." Zayn kissed his curls and then placed another kiss to his forehead. He thread their fingers together and they held hands while the four friends had their conversations and Anne watched quietly. She was allowing Harry to enjoy his time with his friends before he would have to say goodbye.  
A few hours later, a doctor entered his room and gave Harry a final check-up, which resulted in his all-clear that he could leave the hospital soon. A nurse had lastly entered the room and gave him final instructions for his refills of his inhalers and breathing treatments, when Harry asked, "So who's house are we going to hang out at today?"  
Anne spoke up then. "Harry, it's time to say goodbye to your friends and we go home now."  
"No!" Harry spoke forcefully. "I want to hang out with my friends today."  
"Harry, we talked about this," Anne spoke vehemently.  
"No mum. You can't take them away from me."  
The three boys stared at the mother and son arguing and Zayn asked, "What's going on?"  
Anne replied, "I've decided to home school Harry from now on."  
Harry began crying immediately, standing up from the bed, wrapping his arms around Zayn's torso and pressed his head onto Zayn's chest. "She wants us to break up."  
"What?" Zayn asked, bewildered at why this was happening. "Why do you want us to break up?" He addressed Anne, hugging the younger boy to his chest.  
"It's because of your friend, Zayn. Please understand it's nothing against you, I need to keep my son safe."  
"But you can't do that. We're all with him. Anthony won't dare to come near him with Zayn and Liam around," Niall pleaded. "He's me best friend, please don't take him out of school."  
"Niall, I'm sorry, but that's my final decision and I will ask you boys to give Harry some time alone until the police capture that boy." Anne responded again, her face serious.  
"Zayn..." Harry cried into his chest. "Please, I don't want to lose you."  
Zayn grew quiet, not knowing how to respond to this situation, so before he thought over everything fully, he replied, "Maybe your mum is right. It's mostly my fault and we have to keep you safe." Zayn flash backed to the moment last night when Harry lay lifeless in his arms and he couldn't go through that again. He couldn't see the green-eyed boy hurt again and if it meant keeping his distance, then he would force himself to stay away.  
"What? No, Zayn." Harry lifted his head up from Zayn's chest, staring at him with his beautiful green eyes, glistening with his tears.  
"Maybe I should stay away for a while until he's caught." Zayn knew he would like to find Anthony before the cops did and teach him a lesson about messing with them, so maybe he might get the chance to with some distance away from his boyfriend.  
And just as Harry feared, Zayn decided so quickly to end their relationship and he was devastated. "You wanna break up?" Harry pulled out of his arms and stared at the older boy, waiting for his reply.  
"Yeah, well maybe for a little while until we can make sure you'll be safe."  
"You really want that?"  
"Yeah." Zayn said the words, but he felt the exact opposit of what he was saying.  
Harry sat on the corner of his hospital bed, facing away from Zayn. "Fine, then just go then."  
"Harry..." Zayn began.  
"It's ok, Zayn. You don't have to stay anymore. I want to be alone anyway."  
Liam and Niall stood there in an awkward silence as they watched Zayn stride out of the room. "Hazza..." Niall felt obligated to say something as Harry's best friend, but he had no clue what to say.  
"You and Liam can go too," Harry added, feeling absolutely depressed now that Zayn had broken up with him.  
"You sure, Haz?" Niall asked, hesitantly, knowing his friend was not in the best state of mind now.  
"Yeah."  
"Ok, I'll call you later ok."  
Harry nodded and both Liam and Niall said their goodbyes to Harry and Anne and exited the room, their hands clasped together.  
Liam spotted Zayn sitting on a bench at the entrance to the hospital, looking sorrowful. "Hey man, wanna talk about it?" Liam asked, placing a friendly hand on Zayn's shoulder.  
"No, not really," Zayn replied, walking to Liam's car and seating himself once Liam unlocked the doors via the keyless entry.  
The three boys didn't speak much on the drive to Zayn's house and Zayn just thanked them for the ride home and said his goodbye.  
~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~  
Harry sat down on his bed, feeling absolutely crushed. He had recently arrived home and his heart ache just grew with the seconds that ticked by. How could Zayn give up so easily on their relationship? How could he end everything and push him aside as if all these months of dating and being with each other intimately meant nothing to him? How could he make him so many promises of loving him so much that they would be together forever, but then act like it didn't mean anything. How was he going to force himself to stop loving the callous jerk? How could he force himself to go on without Zayn, when now he had so many memories with the older boy?  
Harry reached for his cell phone and wiped at his tears. He was hurt and angry and he wanted to tell the half-Pakistan boy what he thought of him. He wanted to relay that he was such an asshole for breaking up with him and breaking his heart. He wanted to tell him everything he held back from saying before when they were having their final words, before his boyfriend had decided to leave him.  
He wanted to do all the things he was thinking, but he chickened out. He was pretty sure that Zayn had ended it for a reason and he would just be degrading himself if he contacted him. So even though he wanted to give him a piece of his mind, he put his phone down and threw himself on his bed and continued crying. He hated all this pain he felt and he just prayed it would all be over soon.  
Meanwhile, Zayn was in his own room, frantic with his own pain. He didn't even know why he agreed to keep away from Harry. Somehow he thought it would make things easier for everyone around them, which it probably did, but he was dying inside. His chest actually ached with a piercing stabbing pain in his heart. So this is what they meant, by heart broken?  
Zayn stood up from where he was seated on his bed and began pacing. He just felt so restless. He missed Harry so much and the loneliness tugging at his heart felt like he was having an actual heart attack. He clutched his chest while he paced, hoping the pain would hurry up and disappear.   
As he paced, he thought about everything that had happened. Everything with Freddie, Anthony, Harry's mum and he grew angry. The more he thought about how to two boys had caused Anne to separate him from Harry, the angrier he felt. Before he knew it, he had punched a hole through his wall. He stared a moment at the gaping hole in the dry wall of his room and froze. He then looked at his hand, which was now covered in a few scrapes, but luckily he hadn't broken too much skin and wasn't bleeding much. He flexed his fingers and breathed a sigh of relief that no bones seemed to have broken in the process.  
He panicked at how volatile he felt. He actually had so much adrenaline flowing through his body at the moment, that he felt like he could rip both Anthony's and Freddie's heads right off of their bodies. This wasn't good. All his anger management therapy was now warning him that he needed to get away from all of this. He needed to go to his quiet place and redirect his anger. His quiet place had been his grandmother's house in the country where his could paint in the tranquil country setting. His grandmother had always said he was welcome to go back to her home whenever he felt his anger spike out of control, and right now felt like one of those times.  
Zayn grabbed his suitcase and began stuffing clothes into it. He began a mental checklist of items he needed to bring: clothes, underwear, Harry... no he wasn't his anymore... so he continued, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, Harry... dammit brain, he's mad at me.... art supplies, Harry. Ok, screw the checklist. He'd manage with what he could bring. He stared at his cell phone, longing to just dial up his Curly, but he knew Anne had a point. They all had a duty to keep Harry safe. He had already been through enough and had almost died. He might not be so lucky to survive the next attack.  
Harry picked up his cell again. He needed to look at Zayn's picture at least one more time. He knew he would have to come to terms with deleting it from his phone eventually, since Zayn was his ex-boyfriend now, but he still needed a hit of the dark-haired boy. However, he pulled up his contacts instead and accidentally pressed the call button. "Oh shit!" Harry pressed the end call button as quickly as he could, but he was certain that the call must have rang on Zayn's phone. He stared at his phone, wondering if Zayn noticed that he called.  
Zayn had picked through his art supplies, placing the ones he'd selected into a plastic baggy when he heard his phone ring, but then stopped. He wondered who would be calling him, so he picked up his cell and he felt a slew of emotions ranging from surprise to happiness, and then to worry, washed over him all at once. Why would Harry call him? Was he ok? Was he hurt again? Before he could think over his decision, he dialed back Harry's number.  
Harry was wallowing in his own pity party when his cell suddenly rang. Could it be? He looked down at the device's screen, sitting up quickly in his bed, to answer the call. "Hello?" he asked, hesitantly.  
"Hi." There was an uncomfortable stretch of silence before Zayn asked, "Are you ok?"  
Harry cleared his throat and replied, "Yeah."  
"Oh... since you called, um, I thought something happened."  
Harry sniffled a bit and wiped at his eyes. "No, it was an accidental dial."  
"Oh..." Again, there was an awkward silence. Both were terrified of admitting their true feelings and Zayn continued, "So, yeah, I'll just finish packing then..."  
Harry interrupted him mid sentence and asked, "Packing? Where are you going?"  
Zayn decided to be honest with him and told him the truth. "I'm going to spend a few days at my grandma's house."  
"Why? Why are you going?"   
"I just want to spend some time away. She's got her house in the country and I've stayed with her before. It's nice and quiet out there."  
"Ok..." Harry paused his sentence, scared of speaking what he was actually thinking, but then said it anyway. "I'll miss you."  
Zayn's heart felt like it burst in his chest, his blood flowing rapidly through his veins. "I'll miss you too."  
Harry began crying, not expecting Zayn to ever say those words to him again. "Then why did you do it?"  
Zayn huffed out a frustrated sigh, already knowing what he meant. "For you."  
"For me? You broke up with me for me? I'm dying here without you. How could you say it's for me?"  
"Harry, your mum was right. Your safety is important and if that means staying away from you, then I have to force myself to do it. I love you too much to ever see you hurt again."  
"What?" Harry asked, his voice full of hope at hearing Zayn's words.  
"Huh?"  
"You said you love me."  
"Well, umm, yeah, of course I do."  
Harry smiled widely then, hoping that Zayn was telling him the truth. "Then why'd you break up with me?"  
"You know why... I already told you..."  
"No, Zayn, it's not good enough. You broke up with me because you're ashamed of me, right? Just tell me the truth. You don't want people to know about me..."  
"Harry, you're so wrong. You think that's why I did it? Do you really think that's the reason?"  
"Why else would you do it, Zayn? Why would you break my heart like this? You said you loved me."  
"I do love you. I love you so much, that it's killing me to be away from you. I'm going away because all I can think about is going to see you, but I can't, and it's tearing me up so fuckin' badly."  
"I don't believe that." Harry wiped at his eyes, the inevitable tears falling and streaming down his cheeks again.  
"Come with me."  
Harry's breath hitched in his throat. "What?"  
"Come with me. Pack a bag and let's go."  
"I can't go." Harry felt the bit of hope he felt diminish as he realized his mother had been watching him like a hawk since they'd come home from the hospital. "Mum, won't let me out of her sight."  
"Well, figure out something ok. I want to see you and we need to head out before dark before my Gran falls asleep."  
"Are you sure?" Harry asked, skeptically. He was terrified that even if he was able to sneak out, Zayn might change his mind.  
"Of course I'm sure. I love you and I can't wait to see you ok."  
"Love you too, Zayn."  
"Text me when you're close. I'm gonna finish packing, but I'll be done soon. Love you, Curly."  
"Love you more, bad boy. How long will we be gone?"  
Zayn chuckled at Harry's nickname for him and answered, "A few days or a week... longer if we can convince your mum. Now hurry up, I'll be waiting fo you ... oh and don't forget to bring your shampoo."  
"Ok..." Before Harry spit out the word, Zayn had already hung up the call. He jumped up from his bed and started packing a bag. Once he was done, less than half an hour later, he checked on his mum and thanked his lucky stars that his mum was asleep on her bed. Finally, he got a bit of good luck.  
He decided to leave a note on his bed, explaining to his mum how he was going away for a few days with Zayn. He made sure to include that he couldn't stay away from him and he would contact her soon. Harry knew he was going to be terrified of whatever his mum would say to him, so he took the chicken way out and left the note. He was so worried about getting caught, that he threw his bags out of his window. He didn't want to risk the sound of the front door jarring his mother awake.  
After re-closing his window and loading all his bags into his car, he began the drive to Zayn's house and texted him that he would reach his home soon.  
Harry expected awkwardness when Zayn approached his car and loaded his bags and a blank painting canvas into his back seat, but the reality was that once Zayn sat beside him in the passenger's seat, he cupped the side of his face and pulled him in for a kiss.  
"Thanks for coming, Curly. I love you."  
"I love you too Zayn, but aren't you scared of someone seeing us?"  
"No, not at all." Zayn smiled widely, staring at Harry's lips. "I love kissing you and I don't care who sees." Harry's heart fluttered as Zayn kissed him again, his tongue roaming Harry's mouth and he nibbled on his lower lip and licked at his tongue. It seemed like they were going to have a full snogging session, until Zayn pulled away and said, "Pull up to the petrol station that we went to on our first date."  
Harry nodded and drove them to the station. "I was going to take the bus there, but I'm going to fill up your tank instead."  
"Ok, thanks."  
Zayn exited the car and pumped the gas (aka: petrol) into his car and when he returned, he asked, "Do you mind if I drive, so we can get there quicker?"  
"Of course." Harry looked up at the darkening sky as he climbed into the passenger's seat. The temperature had also dropped some and he hugged his arms. He was shaking when he climbed into the passenger's seat.  
"Cold?" Zayn asked, already turning on the heat in the car.  
"Yeah, a bit." Harry replied, but he knew the raised goosebumps on his arms were more from the nerves settling in. He was technically a runaway at the moment and his mum would most likely kill him once he returned home.  
They drove for a while, Harry staring out the window, feeling so anxious about what he'd just done, when he felt Zayn clasp his hand with the hand he wasn't using for driving. He thread their fingers together and kissed his hand, soothing him with his words. "It's going to be ok. No matter what happens, we'll at least have this time together all right, so don't worry."  
"Ok." Harry sighed and laid his head on Zayn's arm. Zayn hugged him closer as far as his seatbelt let him move in his arms. He wanted to unbuckle his belt and just pull him in completely, but he couldn't risk them being pulled over since they were technically teenage runaways at the moment. As spontaneous and crazy as this all was, he was still very aware of that fact.  
When Harry met Zayn's grandmother, she was the sweetest and most patient person he'd ever met. She pulled him into a hug immediately and asked her to call her "Daadi" just like Zayn did. She didn't even ask any questions as she opened her front door and let them walk in.  
They dropped off their suitcases in the guest room Zayn had stayed in during his time here, and then Zayn pulled Harry into the bathroom and began undressing him. "Zayn, aren't you worried your Gran might catch us?" He whispered, worried that they would get caught.  
Zayn whispered back, "Knowing her, she's already cooking us a huge meal. We'll be quick and she won't notice, ok."  
Harry nodded, feeling the nervous goosebumps raise on his skin again as they both stood naked beside each other and the older boy pulled him into the shower. Harry had never felt so cherished in his life as Zayn began washing him, taking time to lather every bit of his skin and lovingly stroked the spots with his fingertips before he lathered it with soap. When it came time to wash Harry's hair, he giggled as Zayn grabbed his shampoo and took a huge whiff of the scent. "I missed this scent." Zayn admitted, confirming the reason he had been so insistent for Harry to bring his shampoo.  
"I'm glad you like it," Harry giggled.  
Zayn didn't take their shower further, just rinsed his boyfriend off before quickly cleaning himself up and washing his hair with Harry's shampoo also. After they got dressed, they made their way into the sweet-smelling kitchen. And just as Zayn said, his grandmother was already setting out plates of hot food and fresh baked cookies and pouring out a homemade sweet tea for them.  
"This all tastes so good, Daadi," Harry complimented as he took a bite of his food.   
Zayn also commented on his Gran's cooking. "Yeah, really good. You're cooking is always amazing."  
"Thank you boys. I'm going to go get some blankets for your room. Hope you don't mind sharing the bed since I don't have any spare ones, unless one of you want the couch."  
"We'll share...thanks." Zayn stared into Harry's eyes and held onto his hand as he watched his favorite blush tint his cheeks and his dimples sank into his cheeks. Once his grandmother left the room, Zayn whispered into his ear, "Now you're going to have to be really quiet tonight, so my Gran doesn't hear us, ok."  
Harry blushed darker this time and bit his lower lip, he couldn't wait to see what Zayn had in store for him because he knew he was going to surprise Zayn also. He still held onto his virginity, but after this time away he was certain he wouldn't be able to say that anymore.  
~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~  
Liam hugged Niall tightly. They were currently standing in Liam's room and he placed a kiss to Niall's cheek. "I'm sorry about today. It's horrible how everything has turned out."  
"I really thought it was all going to be ok now. Zayn told Harry he loved him, but then breaks up with him today. I just don't get it. I know Harry's hurting and I can't even comfort him because his mam wants everyone away from him."  
Niall was pouting and his blue eyes were glistening with his unshed tears and the sight was killing Liam. He'd give anything to have his new boyfriend smile again. "I know how you feel. I've never seen Zayn look as bad as he did today either. I don't know why they broke up, but I have a feeling they'll find their way back to each other."  
"You think so, Li?" Niall stared up at him with hope in his eyes, those shiny blue eyes gazing into his soul.   
"Yeah." Liam nodded. Niall kissed him suddenly, his lips pressing firmly against his and Liam wrapped his arms around the Irish lad, tilting his head to deepen the kiss. Their tongues battled in each other's mouths until Liam dominated the kiss. He kissed him hungrily, all their combined emotions shared in their kiss. Liam bit into Niall's lip a bit roughly before pulling away from their snog. "Stay tonight." He walked to his bedroom door, checking sure the lock was secured before slipping off his shirt and Niall's eyes were glued to his torso.  
When he returned to the Irish boy, Niall licked his lower lip and smiled up at him. "Ok. Let me just call me mam."  
Maura was going to deny his request at first until Liam spoke to her. He told her how much he and his family loved having Niall around and how he had no brothers, so Niall had become a great friend to keep him company. He assured her that he was no trouble at all and finally he thanked her for allowing him to stay.  
"You sure do have a way with me mam," Niall stated.  
"Yeah, she's really nice, but I like her son even more." Niall giggled as Liam latched his lips onto his neck, sucking a small bruise into the spot. He then moaned as Liam licked over the same spot, causing goosebumps to raise on his arms. "Niall, I have to admit something to you."  
"Ok," Niall clutched Liam's arms when the brown-eyed boy nuzzled his nose into Niall's neck and bit his ear lobe.  
"I know this is going to sound so wrong, but I want to have my way with you tonight." Niall's eyes widened at his words. "I'm tired of feeling sad and I want to feel good, and I want to make you feel good too. What do you think?"  
"Yeah, Li. I want that too," Niall nodded and wrapped his arms around the older boy's neck and leaned in for another kiss. Liam kissed him gently, but then tugged on his shirt and lifted it up over his head and tossed it across the room.  
"I'm so happy you wanna do this with me, boyfriend."  
Niall giggled. "Of course, boyfriend."  
Liam took off his jeans and boxers in one uncoordinated movement, almost tripping on the material before removing it. They shared a nervous laugh as Niall took off both his boxers and jeans also. They stood in front of each other, completely naked and Niall felt so embarrassed. He wanted to cover up so badly, feeling too over-exposed, but Liam was biting on his bottom lip, staring at him seductively.  
"Do you know how fit you are? You look so sexy right now."  
Niall chuckled, shaking his head from the amusement of his words. "You're the fit one, Li, standing there will all yer muscles and puppy dog eyes. Don't think I don't know how many girls would kill me to be here, right now."  
"Well, sucks for them. You're the only one I want." Liam grasped onto his midsection, pulling him towards him and kissed him again. "Do you really think I have puppy dog eyes?"  
Niall nodded, giggling a bit. "Yeah, I've loved your eyes since we first met."  
"That's pretty damn hilarious since I've been a sucker for yours since we first met."  
"Really?"  
"Yeah, really."  
Niall had no idea what tonight would end up bringing, but he trusted Liam, so he knew it would most likely be the best time he's ever had in his life.


	34. Smut from Different Views

(A/N: Smut warning! Read at your own discretion. The title of the chapter should reveal the chapter content. For those of you who read my other work, know I have a flare for the dramatic... so enjoy! Also, wanted to give a shout out to @Niallergirl89 for your constant comments & support on this story.)

Zayn held Harry's hand, pulling him into their room and closed the door behind them, making sure the lock was secure. He leaned against the door for a moment, staring at his gorgeous boyfriend, and pulled him against his chest.   
Harry smiled sweetly at him, his dimples sunken deeply into his cheeks, and nervously asked, "So we actually did this, huh?"   
Zayn smirked at him, his hazel eyes gazing at Harry's green ones. "Yeah."  
"Your Gran is really amazing. You're so lucky you have her."  
"Yeah." Zayn rubbed his hands up and down Harry's sides, continuing to stare at the younger boy.  
"It's really nice here too. Her home is amazing."  
"Yeah." The older boy nuzzled his nose into Harry's curls, inhaling his scent, and pressed a kiss into his sensitive spot. That tender spot just below where his ear met his neck that always had Harry clutching onto him tightly and breathing roughly. He wasn't disappointed when Harry did just that.  
"Are you going to say anything other than yeah?" Harry giggled from the ticklish feeling of his boyfriend's actions. His body temperature rose and his blood rushed through his veins as his arousal increased and his jeans tightened around his groin area.  
Zayn tightened Harry's arms wrapped around his torso, before replying, "How about why are you still wearing clothes?"  
Harry covered his giggle with his hand, jokingly replying, "Because I'm not that kind of boy."  
He tried to pull out of Zayn's grip, but the dark-haired boy tightened his hold on him. "Not that kind of boy?" He laughed loudly, throwing his head back almost hitting it into the door. "You know you don't even believe that lie." Zayn returned his gaze back on him and he started walking them towards his bed.   
Harry was blindly stepping backwards, lost in his boyfriend's hazel eyes, and he released a surprised gasp when the back of his legs touched the bed and Zayn laid him onto the bed. He immediately climbed over him and helped him scoot upwards and kissed his lips. The kiss ignited immediately. Harry wrapped his arms around Zayn's neck, pulling him close until their chests and groins pressed together. They kissed and rubbed against each other and clothes began flying off of them. They continued their snog, only separating to pull clothing off and toss them around the room.  
"I love you, Zayn." Harry admitted when Zayn moved his lips lower, kissing down his neck and stroking his sides.  
"I love you, Curly," Zayn replied back, smiling at his boyfriend's words. He wanted to say more, to tell Harry how grateful they were able to spend some more time together. He wanted to tell him how he always wanted to be with him.  
Zayn was kissing his way down his abdomen and when he licked a spot just above Harry's belly button, the younger boy gasped, "Never leave me again."  
Zayn looked up at his boyfriend, his words tugging on his heart strings, making him feel incredibly guilty over trying to break up with him earlier in the day. "I'm sorry about that."  
Harry hoisted himself up on his elbows, rushing his words. "Sorry, I didn't mean to say that... I don't know why I did... it's not your fault... "  
"Shh, babe." Zayn smiled at his boyfriend. "You don't need to worry about that. After today, you never have to worry about that again. It killed me to be away from you." He looked up then, staring into his boyfriend's bright green eyes and restated, "I love you, Harry. I sincerely mean that."   
Harry released a nervous breath after hearing Zayn's words. Zayn placed a kiss to his lips and smiled brightly at him before resuming his ministrations on his body. His lips latched onto one of Harry's nipples and Harry closed his eyes, his hands weaving into Zayn's luxuriously soft dark hair. He tried everything to shut off his brain, the doubt that Zayn would actually be his, still weighing heavily on his mind. He wanted to live in this moment, where his boyfriend was giving him uch pleasure, his body already vibrating with need to have Zayn keep touching him. He was trying to lose himself in the feeling, when he said, "Let's go all the way."  
Zayn again stopped his action, to stare at the younger boy. "What?"  
"I wanna go all the way with you," Harry replied shyly, moving his gaze away from Zayn's. There was no way he felt brave enough to ask a third time.  
Zayn shook his head briefly. "We can't. We're going slow."  
"Why not? I want to."  
"Curly, you just got out of the hospital. I'm not going to hurt you."  
"It'll be fine. I want you."  
Zayn smiled at his boyfriend, but still shook his head no. "I'll feel like such a monster if I take your virginity now. We'll get there eventually, ok."  
Harry felt hurt that his boyfriend was denying him. What teenage boy would turn down sex? Especially from someone whom he claims to love? And that's when the usual doubts crept into his thoughts. "Is it because I'm dirty now? Is that why you don't want to?" His tears streamed uncontrollably out of his eyes. "Is it because he touched me and almost..." It hurt him so bad to say his next words. "...raped me?"  
"What the hell, babe!" Harry flinched from Zayn's rough tone, so then he softened it. "Don't think that. Don't even let something like that cross your mind. Why the hell would you think that?"  
"Because I feel dirty. He touched me and I know you saw. I know that's why you broke up with me."  
Zayn felt so helpless. How could these things even cross Harry's mind? He understood why Harry felt violated from Freddie's inappropriate touches, but why would he think that would affect the way he saw him? He was his perfect, gorgeous boyfriend and he loved him with all of his being. How could he make Harry see this? He hugged him, pulling his body close to his. "I'm so sorry love. I'm so sorry that I couldn't stop them from hurting you. I'm sorry I thought I could push you away to keep you safe. I'm sorry for being so stupid. Please don't think that I see anything wrong with you. Please forgive me for being an idiot."  
"No, Zayn. I understand why you would see me differently now, but the one thing that went through my mind is that you should be the one taking my virginity. I've been in love with you so long, that it should only be you who ever gets to touch me... the only one who has the right to that."  
"Harry, I don't know what to say. I - uhm - I..." Zayn felt like an idiot for stumbling on his words.  
Harry smiled up at him, cupping his cheek with his hand. "Just say that you love me enough to do this. Love me enough to have sex with me."  
"I love you more than that. I love you enough to make love to you."  
Zayn knew how cheesy he sounded, but he couldn't help himself. He just had to let Harry know exactly how he felt and he was rewarded by his shy, dimpled smile and then they were kissing. Harry had latched onto his lips and kissed him vigorously. It seemed that his boyfriend wanted to eat his face off with the needy way his tongue probed his mouth and his lips caused him to feel a bit light-headed.   
Suddenly Harry flipped onto his stomach and lifted his butt up slightly as he rested on his elbows. "Ok, I'm ready."  
Zayn still felt unsure about doing this. Harry was tempting him so badly and if he wasn't so madly in love with his boyfriend, he would have no doubt that he would have taken him up on his offer, no questions asked, but this was different. Harry had almost died last night and he couldn't bring himself to do anything that would hurt him. He hovered over the younger boy, placing a kiss on the back of his neck before asking, "Do you have lube?"  
Harry shook his head. "No, but I'm sure we can find some lotion or you can just use your saliva."  
Zayn felt so turned on by Harry's suggestion that he licked his index finger, coating it with as much saliva as he could, and rubbed it over the rim of his butt hole. He kissed a path over his spinal column on his back as he rubbed his finger around his hole. Harry's moaning and hard breathing turned him on even more as he ventured to rub on his hole. When he dared to push the tip of his finger into him, Harry moaned louder and dragged the humming sound as he smiled into his pillow. "Shh, babe. Gran is gonna hear you."  
Harry breathed harshly, his chest moving with each inhaled and exhaled breath. "I'm trying," he whispered, "But that feels so good."  
"You sure, babe? Are you still nervous?"  
"Not so much anymore. I love you and I trust you. I know you won't hurt me."  
Zayn pushed his finger deeper into him and Harry bit the sound of his moan into the pillow laying under his head. Harry pushed himself against his finger, bringing Zayn deeper into him until the older boy felt like he pressed a soft, fleshy bit that had Harry gripping the bedsheets beside him with one hand and covering his mouth with his other hand. "Oh shit! That was your prostate wasn't it?"  
Harry nodded, moving against Zayn in a manner than had his finger brushing against the spot. "Yeah, think so." Harry continued moaning deeper until he was groaning from Zayn's finger touching the bundle of nerves over and over. The younger boy gasped and panted his way through Zayn's intimate fingering. His toes were curling and he had a death grip over his mouth because f uck if he wasn't enjoying himself too much. "Zayn!" Harry cried into the pillow, the sound being muffled by the fabric, letting Zayn know he was so close.   
Zayn reached his other hand around, grasping his erection, and wanked his boyfriend while continuing to deliver pleasure with his other hand. "Come for me, love," he bit into his shoulder after speaking the words as he watched him writhe in pleasure.   
Harry tried to hold off, he wanted to come with Zayn inside of him, but the pleasure overwhelmed him. The waves of ecstasy made him vibrate with excitement and he spilled. He spilled into Zayn's hand and into the bed sheets. He spilled until exhaustion hit and he lay face down into the pillows, his body falling also, as he struggled to catch his breath.  
Zayn watched in delight as his boyfriend collapsed in sheer exhaustion, no doubt feeling elated from the pleasure coursing through his body, but he needed to come himself. His body was throbbing from the lack of contact with his lover and it demanded relief. He rubbed his erection in the crevice of Harry's butt cheeks repeatedly, holding onto him with one hand, while his other hand rested on the bed and rode out his orgasm. There was no further penetration on Harry's body, so he hoped he wouldn't feel so guilty about what he'd already done. He panted and groaned as his hips stuttered against him one last time and he spilled his seed onto his arse cheeks and on part of his back.  
"No, Zayn," Harry whispered. "I wanted you to come in me."  
"Shh, love! We'll have time to do more once we have lube ok. I want to make sure you don't hurt."  
"You shouldn't have done that." Harry felt close to tears now. "I'm still a virgin. I wanted you to be my first."  
"Baby, I am your first." Zayn kissed along his neck as his breath began evening out. "I just fingered you. You're not a virgin anymore really. I've been inside you."  
"No." Harry shook his head angrily. "I meant like all the way."  
"It's ok, love I will be your first and your only, ok. I'm going to make it special for you... for us both really."  
"But Zayn..."  
"I'm going to see about getting us a room, ok... just us. I want to hear all your sexy moans. I don't want you to have to cover up those fuckin' sexy sounds you make. I want it to be special for both of us."  
Harry turned around and faced Zayn, cupping his cheek as he smiled and adoringly stared at him. "Ok. love you, Zayn."  
"I love you too, Curly." Zayn reached for the t-shirt he had worn today and began cleaming himself up and wiping at Harry's body trying to clean up their mess of combined come. As he swiped the cloth, he asked, "So, do you need to take any of your medications before we go to bed?"  
Harry shook his head, "Nope, took them before I got to your house. I'm good 'til tomorrow."  
"Ok, love. Do you need anything to drink or anything else?"  
Harry flashed him a dimpled smile, looking so adorable in Zayn's eyes. "Nope."  
"Good." Zayn threw the soiled shirt onto the floor and laid his head against the pillows. "Come here then."  
Harry rolled himself into Zayn's open arms and cuddled into his boyfriend, his arms wrapping around the older boy's waist and h laid his head onto his chest. "Good night. Sweet dreams."  
"Good night to you too." Zayn brushed hair off of Harry's forehead and placed a kiss to his temple. "No need to dream, love." He stifled back his yawn, adjusting himself to a more comfortable spot, holding Harry to him and added, "I already have you here."  
Harry giggled, stifling the sound with his hand. "You are smooth."  
"What? It's true. Now go to sleep. We have a lot to do tomorrow."  
Harry reached up and placed a tender kiss on Zayn's lips before returning to lay in Zayn's arms, snuggling in his warm embrace. Zayn hugged him tightly as they drifted off into a restful sleep.   
\--------------------->  
Niall clutched onto the bedsheets around him as he laid on his back. He had a hard time keeping quiet, his hand covering the moans threatening to escape as Liam continued to suck him off. He still felt shy as Liam wrapped his mouth around him and his tongue licked his length. Never had he thought that it would feel this good to be sucked off.  
He was still surprised that Liam was treating him to this blow job because just a minute ago, he and Liam were just snogging. He was enjoying the feel of his lips and tongue working his mouth, and then the older boy grasped onto his length and began stroking him. Niall wanted to do the same for him, but he felt too nervous. He was worrying that he might not be able to pleasure Liam right, so he kept his hands on the sides of his face, when he suddenly moved away from his lips and placed his lips around his erection.   
Niall gasped at the first touch of Liam's mouth, then giggled shyly when his mouth made contact. Now he was writhing in pleasure, his hands clutching onto the bedsheets beside him. "Ah, Li!"  
Liam became excited when he heard the neediness in Niall's voice. He sucked in his cheeks, increasing his sucking pressure on his boyfriend and held onto his hips. He worked his length, tonguing all around and licked the tip, needing to make this pleasurable for Niall. He didn't want to disappoint him in any way.  
Niall had the toughest time holding back, he had tensed his body to the maximum and he couldn't clench his fists any tighter and with a shriek, he came into Liam's mouth. "Oh, lord!" Niall became frantic as he apologized, worried that Liam would be angry with him. "I'm so sorry, Li. I didn't mean to... it's just... oh no! I'm sorry."  
"Relax, love. It's fine." Liam smiled at the younger boy, his eyes sparkling with the tenderness he felt for his boyfriend. He wiped at the corner of his mouth as some of the come he wasn't able to swallow seeped out a bit.  
"I'm so embarrassed." Niall face-palmed, hiding his face behind his hand.  
Liam grabbed onto his hand, kissing the top of his hand like a true gentleman, and asked, "Did you like it?"  
Niall nodded repeatedly. "Yes." He blushed and Liam was in awe of how cute he looked with the crimson coloring to his cheeks.  
"That's all that matters. I want to make you happy, Ni."  
"You do make me happy... so happy."  
"Good." Liam attached their lips together and they kissed. Niall thought they were going to snog for a bit, until Liam pulled him on top of him and the brunette boy lay on his back against the pillows.  
Niall leaned over him awkwardly, surprised over his sudden placement over him. "OK, my turn now." Liam grinned at him as he placed his hands under his own head.  
Niall stared at him hesitantly, so nervous to do this. He wasn't expecting to have to do this so early into their relationship, but Liam was staring at him and he knew it was only fair to return the favor. He even felt pressured to perform the blow job on him. He closed his eyes as his lips descended on Liam.   
At first, it wasn't so bad as he sucked on his erection. The action seemed awkward to him, but he licked around the shaft and even ventured to lick the tip, becoming more bold in his actions from Liam's moans. But he gasped when he returned to Liam's length and the older boy grabbed his head, pushing himself deeper into Niall's mouth. He felt so uncomfortable as Liam thrusted into his mouth and he had to keep avoiding his attempt to push himself down his throat. There was no way he was going to deep throat, and it was a struggle to keep Liam from his attempts. As he pounded roughly into his mouth, Niall felt tears collect at the sides of his eyes and prayed that this would be over soon. Luckily, a few more deep thrusts and Liam spilled into his mouth, releasing a loud groan as he came.   
Niall panicked even more now that he had a mouthful of his come now. What to do? He couldn't find anything to spit out the salty liquid into, so he was forced to swallow it. It was thick and terribly salty and he wanted to gag from it all, but he didn't want to hurt Liam's feelings.   
Liam lay there, his eyes closed and a huge grin plastered on his face as he evened out his breathing. Niall scooted his body back up towards the pillows and laid down. However, he turned away from the older boy as a huge melancholy burdened his heart. He wasn't ready to do all this and all he wanted to do now was get away from Liam.  
However, Liam had no idea of Niall's inner turmoil and grabbed him by the waist, pulling him close to his body and nuzzled into the back of his neck, inhaling his scent. Niall forced a smile across his face for Liam's sake, but he felt far from happy. All he wanted was to go home, to wallow in his regret, but Liam threw his blanket over both of their bodies and encased him in a protective cocoon and held each of his hands.   
Liam was beyond happy at everything they had done tonight and he spoke his mind, letting his Irish boyfriend know what he was thinking. "That was great, Niall." Niall nodded, but was quiet. "I can't wait to do that again."  
Niall cringed at Liam's words, not sure he ever wanted to do that again. He forced another smile, but still didn't say anything since he was fighting back his tears.  
"I love you, Niall."  
Niall inhaled a deep breath, trying to calm his emotions. "Love you too."  
"Night."  
"Night."   
Niall remained awake for a while and he could tell when Liam fell asleep as he could hear his even breathing and the grip around him relaxed. When he was certain that Liam had fallen asleep, that's when he released his silent tears. His mind ran with his thoughts and doubts, while he struggled to fall asleep. He didn't want to break up with Liam, but he definitely was going to keep some distance until he could sort everything out.   
~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~  
The following morning, Zayn woke up to Harry breathing into his chest. He was still nestled in his arms and was the cutest sight he'd ever laid his eyes on. His lips were parted and his cheeks were rosy, unlike the sight of his pale face when he had stopped breathing. Zayn shook the thought from his head. There was no way he was going to relive that night and depress himself. His curly-haired boyfriend was laying in his arms and most importantly, he was breathing. He had to remind himself of that fact.  
He thought about waking him, to have those gorgeous green eyes stare at him and have him flash his dimpled smile, but he didn't want to ruin his restful sleep. He placed a long kiss to his temple and briefly against his lips as he reluctantly pulled himself out of his arms. He realized that the reason he had woken up so early was that his bladder was demanding to be emptied. Luckily, when he moved, Harry stirred a bit, but still remained asleep.  
He slipped on a pair of boxers and entered the bathroom. He took care of his business, brushed his teeth, and once he was done and washed his hands, he was on his way back to the bedroom when his Gran stopped him.  
"I need to talk to you for a minute, Zayn," she stated, making her way towards the kitchen.  
"Ok." Zayn followed her and they sat at the kitchen table. "What about, Daadi?"  
"I want to know what's going on with you and that boy. Are you two in some kind of trouble?"  
Zayn's guilt was written all over his face. "Yeah, kind of." Zayn wasn't going to lie to his grandma. She had always opened her home to him and was so caring, he couldn't bear to lie to her.   
"What kind of trouble?"  
"It's just... we kind of ran away. We haven't told our parents we left and I don't want to go back yet. I was feeling really angry again and I had to come here. Remember what the therapist said..."  
She interrupted him then. "I know what the therapist said and you know it's never a problem for you to stay here."  
"Ok, good... thanks."  
"So tell me how Harry is involved?"  
"You see, Daadi, some boys tried to hurt him... they almost did. He was in the hospital because he stopped breathing... they almost killed him. I couldn't bear it if they killed him..."  
His grandmother gasped at the information Zayn relayed. "Why did they do that?"  
Zayn hesitated, not sure how much he should reveal to her. He didn't want her to hate him for loving a boy and he didn't want her to kick them out of her house. "Because he's different... but I promise you, he's a good person, and my best friend..."  
"Love, after the noises I heard coming from your room last night, I know he's more than a friend."  
"Oh, crap!" He face-palmed and hid his face in shame. "You heard that?"  
"Yes, dear. So tell me, is he gay? Are you?" Geez, sometimes he hated how blunt his grandmother was.  
Zayn couldn't look her in the eyes and was scared to see her reaction. "I know it's wrong because we're Muslim... but yes."  
His grandmother moved his hand from his face then and smiled at him. Zayn was surprised to see her smile. "Does he make you happy?"  
"Very happy. I love him so much."  
"Then that's all that matters."  
"But... are you mad... do you hate me?"  
"I could never hate you. In fact, I'm happy that you found someone to love."  
Zayn felt horribly confused then. "But it's wrong... I'm supposed to like girls... our religion says..."  
"Love, our religion says a lot of things. The world is changing and with so many people in this world, you have to be stupid to turn away love. Now, I don't recommend you telling your father though."  
"Yeah, I'm really scared of baba finding out." (A/N: baba is Urdu for dad) "Why does he hate gay people so much?"  
"He doesn't hate gay people. It's just when he was a little boy, he saw a gay man killed and mutilated very badly and that memory has always stayed with him. I know that's why he's scared of one of our family being gay, but I promise you, he will love you no matter what."  
"I hope so because I love Harry so much. I want him to be in my life for a long time and I even thought about marrying him one day..."  
Harry leaned back against the wall he was standing near. He didn't mean to eavesdrop, but he had woken up alone in bed and was looking for Zayn. He heard voices coming from the kitchen and was going to join them, but stopped when he heard them speak his name. He caught good portion of the conversation and now that he heard how Zayn felt, he wasn't sure how to handle this information. Could he really hope that Zayn was his one? Could he rely on Zayn's words about a future together? I mean, who really finds their true love in high school?


	35. This is it *Smut Warning*

(A/N: I wanted to say a special thank you to @anjali for your comments on the chapters. Thank you so much for your support of this story :) )

Harry ran back into the bedroom as soon as he heard Zayn end his conversation with his grandma and stand up from the kitchen table. He slipped under the covers, breathing heavily, as he awaited Zayn to come in.  
Within a minute, Zayn entered the door to find him awake and laying in bed. "Morning, love," he greeted, walking towards the bed.  
"Morning," Harry blushed and stretched his arms in front of him, acting as if he'd just woken up.  
Zayn sat beside Harry on the bed and asked, "You been awake long?"  
Harry decided to lie rather than approach the uncomfortable subject about overhearing Zayn's conversation with his grandma. "Not too long, was just about to come looking for you." He smiled up at his boyfriend and Zayn leaned in for a kiss, but Harry turned his head. "No, babe, morning breath."  
"Eww! You're right. Go brush your teeth, then I'll kiss you."  
"Hey!" Harry smacked his arm playfully, causing Zayn to giggle as he leaned in and placed a soft kiss to his lips. "What about my morning breath?" He asked sarcastically, raising his eyebrow.  
"What morning breath? You're perfect." Zayn leaned in for another kiss, but stopped himself when there was a knock on the bedroom door.  
"Boys, I need to talk with you. Are you decent? Can I come in?"  
"Yeah, Daadi. Come in," Zayn replied and Harry sat up in bed, securing the sheets around himself.  
"Morning boys, now before you go do whatever you have planned today, we need to call your mothers and let them know you're ok. I don't want them worrying about you."  
Harry eyed Zayn nervously. He just knew that his mum was going to yell at him and force him to go back home, but he didn't want to be separated from Zayn again. He reached for his phone, wondering why he hadn't even heard the many calls he was sure he had missed. His eyes grew wide when he saw the numerous missed calls and messages on his phone's notifications. "Zayn!" he said and clutched onto the older boy's arm as he showed him the display screen.  
"Yeah, I'm glad I shut off your ringer last night," Zayn replied.  
"You what?" Harry asked, his eyes still wide as his nerves took over and he started panicking.  
"I didn't want you stressing out, so I shut off your ringer at dinner, so you could sleep peacefully."  
"Oh, no, no, no..." Harry really began freaking out now. "She's probably called the police by now and reported me as a kidnap. Oh, no, no, no..."  
"Well, I knew she was going to be mad, at me especially, but she wouldn't call the police... would she?"  
"I don't know, Zayn."  
Luckily, Zayn's Gran stepped in. "Give me your phone, Harry. We need to call her right now and get all this resolved."  
Harry did just that. He handed his phone over after pulling up his mum's number on his contacts. He felt so nervous, but mostly scared. He feared that he had gotten Zayn into trouble with the authorities and he worried that they wouldn't be so lenient with him because of his past and his fighting. His gran began explaining to Anne where Harry was and what was going on and Zayn pulled Harry into his lap. He hugged him tightly and buried his face into the back of his neck as the worry consumed him also. Both boys were terrified of the outcome and Harry felt faint when Daadi extended the phone out to him and said, "Your mum wants to talk with you."  
Harry gripped onto Zayn's arm, his voice trembling as he said, "Zayn... I don't want to leave you."  
Zayn hugged him from behind, his heart breaking from his boyfriend's words. "It'll be ok. No matter what happens, I'll always love you."  
"I'll always love you too, Zayn. I'm sorry for getting you in trouble."  
"It's ok, love," Zayn replied, smoothing his hand through his curls and placing a kiss to his cheek.  
"Does she sound mad?" Harry asked Zayn's grandmother.  
"No, not really... more worried than anything," she answered.  
Harry nodded, taking the phone. "Hello?" his voice was hesitant, his nerves lowering his tone of voice.  
"You know that I'm upset with you, right?" Anne spoke bluntly.  
"Yes, mum."  
"But I'm glad you're ok. I love you, Harry, and I don't ever want you to be scared to talk to me. Have I ever given you a reason to not be open with me?" She felt hurt overhearing her son speaking just now and it hurt her heart to hear how hesitant Harry was to talk to her.  
"No, mum."  
"Then, don't ever do this again. Promise me. Promise you'll talk to me."  
"But, mum..." Harry tried to explain. He wanted to explain how he did try to talk to her, but she kept dismissing his words and telling him that his feelings for Zayn were meaningless, but he loved the older boy more than ever before now.  
"Let me finish, ok." Harry quieted down and let her explain. "I know I was being too hard on you before and I let my fear dictate my actions. I'm sorry I tried to force you into seclusion. That's not healthy for someone who's been through trauma like you have. I did almost call the police and wanted to report you as kidnapped, but Robin helped me see the error in that. Whether I like to admit or not, you're almost an adult, love, and I should let you make your decisions. Now because I understand your situation a little better, having discussed it with your principal and Robin, I'm going to allow you to have some time with Zayn..." Harry began laughing, his smile so wide as he stared at Zayn. "... but under one condition. You have to call me every day and I want to speak with Zayn's grandma too to make sure you're all right and I'm going to make arrangements to make sure you have everything you need."  
"Thank you, mum! Thank you!"  
"What's going on?" Zayn asked.  
"Mum said I could stay!" Harry replied, his voice so cheery as he flashed Zayn a dimpled smile.  
"Really?" Zayn was cheering and "woo-hooing" as he celebrated with Harry.  
"How long can I stay?"  
"Well, Mr. Reynolds has given you and Zayn two weeks of excused absences and has made arrangements for you both to make up your assignments when you get back. But I want you back on the Sunday before you go back to school."  
"Ok, mum, thank you so much."  
"I love you, Harry. I just want you to be happy and I will do everything to ensure your safety. Now does that boy who attacked you know where Zayn's grandma's house is?"  
Harry asked Zayn the same question. "Does Anthony know where your grandma lives?"  
Zayn shook his head. "No, that's why I had to stay here, to make sure I wouldn't run into him anywhere and get into more trouble."  
"No mum," Harry replied. "We're safe here."  
"Ok, baby. I'm still hesitant to let you stay with someone I don't properly know, but this is for your safety. Remember I want you to call me everyday and let me know if you need anything. Now I need to speak to Zayn's grandma again to discuss how I can reimburse her for your meals and such."  
"Ok, mum, thanks again and I love you."  
"I love you too, baby. Be safe and call me for anything you need. Even if I have to leave work early, I want to make sure you have everything you need... oh, and don't forget to take your medicine or did you forget to bring it with you?"  
"No mum, I brought it. I know I needed it, so I brought it."  
Anne gushed over the phone, her smile so wide as she was proud she raised such a good son. "That's a good boy. I love you, Harry."  
"Love you too, mum. Ok, I'll hand you over to Zayn's grandma now."  
After that Daadi, Zayn's grandmother, spoke to Anne on Harry's cell phone and Harry turned to Zayn. "We're going to get two weeks together... can you believe it?"  
Zayn shook his head and grinned widely. "No, it's hard to believe, but two weeks to have you all to myself... I'm excited."  
Zayn pulled Harry into his arms, cuddling him and kissing his neck before kissing his mouth. Harry turned away, exclaiming, "Zayn, my morning breath!"  
"Nonsense!" Zayn tried to kiss him again, but Harry dodged him again, and jumped up out of bed, squealing as he ran towards the bathroom. However, Zayn was hot on his heels and Harry couldn't outrun the older boy. Zayn pulled him into the bathroom, closing the door behind them, and stood behind Harry and undressed him as Harry placed his toothpaste on his toothbrush.  
"Zayn, I have to brush my teeth," Harry half protested as Zayn's hands roamed over his naked torso and he kissed his neck.  
"Well, hurry up. I want you in the shower with me."  
Zayn bit into his neck, leaving a bruised love bite there, and Harry moaned and covered his mouth. "Babe, your gran is gonna hear us. Behave."  
"Relax, she already knows about us and she's good with it. Now get in that shower before I spank your arse."  
Harry giggled, but did just that. He rushed into the shower and Zayn joined him, his lips latching onto him as he snogged his boyfriend.  
~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~  
So this was finally going to happen, for real this time? Harry knew he should feel more nervous than ever because Zayn was going to finally give him what he wanted, to take his virginity by the only "bad boy" he's ever crushed on, but he wasn't so nervous. He actually could say that he felt thrilled and exhilirated. His heart was thudding loudly and the nervous tingles coursed through his body as Zayn lay him down on their bed, his lips still attached to his in their kiss.  
Harry couldn't believe this was finally happening. This day was honestly one of the best days of his life. He woke up this morning to overhearing Zayn tell his gran about how much he loved him and even wanted to marry him. Though Zayn hadn't said anything more about it, just the fact that he had said it in the first place was enough to make him happy for the rest of his life. Then he and Zayn had gone to the grocery store to pick up some extra food and ingredients for the amazing dinner Daadi made them. Zayn had squeezed his hand tightly as he pushed their shopping cart towards the condoms section. They both chuckled terribly and he had worn a permanent blush as Zayn grabbed a small pack of condoms and a tube of water-based lube.  
Now Zayn had stood up from the bed to retrieve the condoms and the lube that he had hidden in the bedside drawer. Harry watched as he strutted back over to him, his naked flesh glistening in the sliver of moonlight seeping through the slightly open curtains of the bedroom window. When they had purchased this today, they had no clue that they would be using it the same day, but they were more than grateful that his gran had decided to spend the evening with her friend, which gave them their much needed alone time.  
Zayn smiled down at his boyfriend as he kissed along his neck and down his chest area. He thought Harry had no clue of how he truly felt about him and once he had the talk with his gran this morning, he no longer had any doubts about being with Harry for a long time, possibly for the rest of their lives. Zayn had spent most of the day today debating on how ready he and Harry were ready to take their relationship to the next level by having sex and he mentally weighed the pros against the cons. Every conclusion he came to was positive. He loved this boy with every piece of him and he was pretty sure Harry loved him back equally. They would have each other's virginity and would share the lovely memory for the rest of their lives. Even if they ended up having the worst sexual experience of their lives, he hoped their love would be strong enough to endure it. So, when he spotted the contraception aisle of the store, he knew he was ready.  
Zayn remembered how shy and embarrassed Harry was when he picked up the box of condoms and lube. Harry couldn't even make eye contact with him as he read over the information about the lube. He had read online that water-based lube was the best, non-sticky type, and therefore would be more pleasurable, even though it did tend to evaporate more easily. It wouldn't be as thick as the silicone or oil-based ones and would be easier to clean up. Harry had even tried to rush him to just put the items in the cart so people around them wouldn't notice, but Zayn just pulled him closer to him as he said, "See, this one's water based and more gentle. It doesn't have the warming sensation. Do you want that?"  
Harry hid his face in his shoulder. "Zayn, I don't know. Can we talk about it later?"  
"Babe, we're here now and I want to buy them."  
Harry shook his head against his shoulder and mumbled a "No," but still didn't want to lift his head.  
"Do you want one of the flavored kind?"  
"Please, can we talk about it later?"  
Zayn chuckled in response. "I was reading up on this today, love. I want to make sure we get the right one for us."  
"So that's what you were doing on your phone while we were watching the telly?"  
"Yeah." Zayn sighed then. "Ok, since you won't help me pick one out, I'll just take this KY one. It seems like a good one."  
"Finally," Harry groaned as Zayn tossed the items into the cart and they walked towards the check out line hand-in-hand.  
Harry stared at their clasped hands now, Zayn's skin tone a hint more of a golden shade darker than his and he smiled at that. The contrast of their skin tones kindling the desire he felt for the older boy. Harry always admired all the differences in their looks, from Zayn's dark hair and hazel eyes to his lean yet muscled body, but having his boyfriend touch him now was the ultimate aphrodisiac. His fingertips and mouth were leaving a burning desire in their wake and were driving him insane. Harry needed to feel him more intimately. He needed him to fill the need he had to be possessed by him fully. So in a desperate plea for Zayn to know what he was feeling, he gripped onto Zayn's erection and stroked his length, since he was so nervous to tell him exactly how he felt.  
Zayn had been trying desperately to control his need to just surrender to his teenage hormones and plunge into his boyfriend and almost lost the battle as Harry stroked him. He hissed through his teeth. "Aww, f uck, Curly. That feels so good."  
Harry grinned as Zayn thrust his hips into his fist, his erection getting harder as the younger boy continued to wank him. "You look so good right now." Harry couldn't resist complimenting his boyfriend. He wasn't lying when he said he looked good, but he knew it was an understatement. Zayn was biting his lower lip, his eyes closed as he leaned closer to his touch. The soft velvety skin of his erection, feeling so hard in his hand, and he brushed his index finger against the slit of Zayn's cock.  
"You always make me feel so fuckin' good Harry."  
"You always make me feel good too."  
Zayn gripped his hand. "But if you keep doing that then I'm going to come before we get to the good part."  
He couldn't help but chuckle at his words. "We wouldn't want that," Harry teased.  
"Nope, not at all." Zayn placed a kiss to his lips before sitting up in the bed, holding the lube and unscrewing its cap. "You still feel ok about doing this?"  
Harry nodded. He had been more than ready to do this. He had been ready since the night of the prom. He wanted to lose his virginity to Zayn and now that it was happening, he felt relieved. Soon Zayn would be inside him and he would no longer be a virgin. "I love you, Zayn, and I want this."  
"I want this too, baby. More than anything."  
Harry lay back, feeling a bit impatient, as Zayn read the label. He drummed the fingers of one of his hands on the bedsheet beside him as he waited for Zayn to make his next move.  
However, Zayn assumed that Harry wouldn't know that he was stalling a bit as he worked through his nerves. He was starting to doubt how he could make this pleasurable for the green eyed and feared he would just hurt him too much. He couldn't bear to cause him any more pain, but that's when Harry surprised him.  
Harry touched the hand that was clutching the tube of lube and said, "It's really ok, love. You don't have to worry about anything. I still want to do this. I want you more than ever. Do you realize how much this means to me?"  
Zayn had never felt his heart burst so much at the sound of a few words. He didn't expect Harry to be able to read his thoughts. He wasn't expecting his boyfriend to be so in tune to his emotions. Even after all his therapy of dealing with his feelings (mainly his anger), he had no idea of how to deal with this abundance of love. "You sure? I'll stop if it's hurting you, ok." Harry nodded, still grinning at him the entire time. "I mean it. The second it's too much, tell me and I'll stop. I won't be mad or upset if we stop. Understand that, ok."  
"Ok, I understand, but understand that I don't want to stop until I'm all yours." Harry tried to turn around to lay on his stomach, but Zayn stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.  
"Lie on your back, ok. I wanna watch you to make sure it's not going to hurt you."  
Harry grinned at his words, but mostly at his expression. Zayn had such a serious and studious expression on his face, kind of like the look of someone studying the results of an experiment. He almost laughed at his own joke, but held it in. He didn't want to distract Zayn from his "experiment." Little did Harry know that Zayn was also a virgin like himself, he had no experience in straight sex, let alone anal sex. Zayn had never mentioned it and Harry assumed he was experienced. Harry felt calm until Zayn unscrewed the cap off the lube and dabbed some onto his thumb, index and middle fingers, moving his fingertips to warm up the gel.  
"Ready?" he asked, staring at Harry, who was focusing on his breathing to calm his sudden nervousness.  
"Yeah."  
Then it began. Zayn inserted his index finger into his rear, moving it slowly in as he stared at Harry's face. Harry concentrated on his breathing, inhale and exhale, making sure to keep calm so Zayn wouldn't stop. It was an odd feeling to have Zayn's finger inside him, but then again like last night, his boyfriend brushed against the same spot that had him moaning loudly. Zayn kept rubbing the spot, thrusting his finger in and out, making sure to brush against the bundle of nerves and Harry's face contorted in pleasure and he hissed in a pleasured way. The lube definitely enhanced the experience for him as the gel brushed against the spot.  
Zayn grinned at his boyfriend as he watched the pleasure wash over him. Harry looked so sexy writhing in pleasure from his touch. He hissed and bit his lip as his legs opened wider to then pushed back together, squeezing and sliding his finger in deeply. He closed his eyes and had a death grip on the bedsheets and Zayn was so turned on. His erection was throbbing and demanding him to plunge into the younger boy now. "I'm going to add another finger to stretch you, ok." Harry nodded, not being able to speak. He was only able to feel at that moment. "Let me know if it hurts, ok."  
Again the nod. Zayn inserted his middle finger, but worried when Harry stopped moving and had inhaled a sharp breathed. He stopped the movement of his two fingers, but Harry groaned. "Don't stop. I just need a minute to adjust."  
"Ok, I'll just go slower," Zayn replied, even though his throbbing of his erection was demanding that he just take his boyfriend, but he ignored it. He wanted to make this enjoyable for Harry.  
Harry's hissing sounded painful now as Zayn pushed both fingers in, so because he knew Harry was tense now, he wrapped his lips around his boyfreind's length and began sucking him off. Harry began moaning in pleasure again as Zayn worked his fingers in him, making sure to brush them along his prostate and when Harry moved against his fingers, rocking himself on hand, Zayn knew he was ready.  
"Are you ready, love?"  
"Yeah," Harry replied breathlessly, exhaling a long breath as Zayn removed his fingers slowly.  
Zayn lubed up his cock and around Harry's arse and lined himself at Harry's entrance. "I love you."  
"Love you, too."  
Zayn held onto his hip with one hand, guiding himself in with his other hand, and gripped onto Harry's thigh with his other hand. Harry hissed out in pain again and tears pricked the sides of his eyes, but he wasn't going to cry. The tearing feeling burned painfully as he felt like Zayn was ripping his arse apart, but he fought through the pain. He wanted this and he knew the pain would be replaced by pleasure, even though it was not happening quick enough for him.  
"Babe, you ok?" Zayn asked as he stopped moving, picking up on Harry's sounds of pain.  
"Mmm, hmm," he murmured in agreement. He latched onto his back, pulling him forward. "Don't stop."  
"Good." He kissed his lips softly before lifting back up a bit to keep pushing into him. "Cause I lied. I don't think I can stop now. You feel so fuckin' amazing." Zayn hovered over him, pulling his d ick out slowly before pushing it deeper into him. He repeated this again and again until he finally bottomed out. Harry moaned loudler than ever. "How do you feel?" he asked, trying to control his movement to check in on his boyfriend.  
"It's starting to feel better... it's just you're so big."  
"Yeah?" Harry had just stroked his ego, causing Zayn to reply, "You like this big cock of mine?"  
Harry giggled a bit and replied, "Heck yeah. I love it."  
"Say it, babe. Tell me how much you like it."  
"I love it, Zayn!" Harry clutched onto Zayn's back and pulled him close to his chest.  
Zayn wrapped Harry's legs around his waist, holding him closely as he sped up his movements. He slid in and out, his hips rotating in a circular motion as he worked on making them both come. "You want this cock? You like it inside you?"  
"I love it, Zayn! Ahh!" he screamed when Zayn pushed against his prostate. His toes began curling as Zayn sped up his movements, brushing against the nerve endings. Harry was floating from the intense feelings floating through him and he kept moaning loudly. His heart was pounding wildly and he felt faint when Zayn said the next words.  
"I'm gonna f uck you forever. I want..."  
Harry tried to focus on what Zayn was saying, but it was tough to hear over the sound of his thudding heart and he seemed to have stopped speaking now. He was lost in the overwhelming pleasure even more when Zayn grasped onto his d ick and stroked him in time with the thrusting of his hips. He spilled out after a few strokes, unable to control the orgasm that rushed at him. Zayn thrusted a few more times and spilled into him soon after.  
Harry wrapped his arms around his boyfriend, resting his hands against his back as Zayn buried his head into the crook of his neck. They fought to even out their breath and Zayn wanted to smack himself in the head. He can't believe he was going to ask Harry to marry him during sex. Damn, he felt pitiful. He couldn't say this to Harry, he might scare him off. I mean they only started dating for a couple of months. Who falls for someone that hard only after a few months of dating?  
Zayn was still buried inside of him and when he slowly slid his softening length out of Harry's rear, he said, "I'm so sorry."  
"About what?"  
"I didn't even open the box of condoms."  
Harry panicked for all about 2 seconds. "Oh no! Guess I'm pregnant now." He giggled, teasing his boyfriend.  
"Is that ok? I think we'd make great parents." He teased right back.  
"Well, actually... I don't want to know how many girls you've been with... but, umm, have you been tested?"  
Zayn giggled then, lifting his head up to stare into Harry's eyes. "Well... don't laugh, but you were my first."  
"What?"  
"I was a virgin before you. I know I don't have anything."  
"That's really hard to believe. I mean look at you."  
Zayn shrugged his shoulders. "Well, it never happened. I was a nerd before all the bullying from Anthony and those kids at that school. Then I had to deal with all the anger management stuff, so I never got the chance."  
Harry's dimpled smile presented itself. "So, I took your virginity too?"  
"Yeah, you did."  
"I can't believe it, Zayn. I feel so priviledged." He giggled then and Zayn placed a soft kiss to his lips.  
"You better. So, how was it?"  
"It was the best. Actually, I wouldn't mind doing it again."  
"Really? Hmm, I've created a monster."  
"Hey." Harry smacked his arm. "How was it for you?"  
"It was the best. I wanna do it again soon, too. You've got me hooked."  
"Thank you for being my first."  
Zayn smoothed his hand against Harry's dimpled cheek. "Of course. I'm just glad you enjoyed it."  
Both boys basked in the after effects of their love making. They snogged and held each other the entire night as they fell asleep in each other's arms.  
~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~  
However, not all relationships were working out as well. Whereas Zayn and Harry spent a lovely day together, Niall wanted nothing more than to spend some time away from Liam when he woke up in the morning.  
He wanted to slip out of bed quietly and get dressed, but the stirring he caused in the bed, woke Liam up.  
"Hey, love," Liam greeted when his eyes focused on his blue-eyed boyfriend.  
"Hey," he replied quietly.  
"How'd you sleep?"  
"Ok. Umm, can you take me home now?"  
"What?" Liam asked, his surprised gaze on Niall. "I thought we could spend some more time together today. Why do you want to go home?"

To be continued...


End file.
